I'm saddened by disease, by illness... and those who suffer.
I'm not talking about the common cold or a nasty, achy, snotty flu. I'm talking about someone I love having multiple seizures every day, someone else I love living with debilitating back pain, another one dear to me who has fought cancer - two times!! Then there is the disease that affects the mind.
Oh... that one makes me pause...
The diseases of the mind are so complex,
and so real,
and so painful,
and so affect everyone.
If you're living and breathing you have been impacted by this.
And that's the thing with mental illness, It can really be very invisible.
To the casual observer, the person may appear to have it "all together."
Yet when those symptoms flare up, when the storm starts or the disconnect begins,
they are usually horribly misunderstood,
horrendously bullied,
and often feared.
The are misjudged over and over again!
So what's the answer? Do we owe it to each other to expose our pains, weaknesses, diseases or ailments? Are we supposed to walk up to someone and say
Hi, I have cancer, sorry about the bald head
Don't worry about me, it's just the Tourette's talking
Sorry I didn't come to the party, I was too depressed to be around people
Yes ... and No
I have found that while we don't owe anyone an explanation for
who we are,
what we suffer with or
how we look ...
when we do let them see into our pain, when we acknowledge the illness for what it is, we have the chance to be cared for
Then there's the No ... guarding our hearts. There is a Bully on the playground of life. He's a deceiver and He just wants to destroy. That's his game.
So whether we share on Facebook or send out a Tweet...
whether we blurt out our pain in a crowded classroom or around the office cooler,
these are potential paths leading to more pain
too often not leading to the care we crave and very much deserve.
My friend, search out those in your life who are safe.
Those who can give you that care you crave and that you very much deserve
like a warm blanket when we have a fever,
an arm gently placed around our shoulder when we're discouraged or
a listening ear and a kind word that says I hear you and I believe you
Praying that the guarding hand of Wisdom will not give the Bully even one round on the playground.
Praying that we have eyes to see, to look beyond the immediate, the obvious
that we have eyes to see the invisible, the broken and the beautiful.
I'm not talking about the common cold or a nasty, achy, snotty flu. I'm talking about someone I love having multiple seizures every day, someone else I love living with debilitating back pain, another one dear to me who has fought cancer - two times!! Then there is the disease that affects the mind.
Oh... that one makes me pause...
The diseases of the mind are so complex,
and so real,
and so painful,
and so affect everyone.
If you're living and breathing you have been impacted by this.
I guarantee, there's usually much more to any given situation
and always much more to each person we meet
than what we see at first glance.
And that's the thing with mental illness, It can really be very invisible.
To the casual observer, the person may appear to have it "all together."
Yet when those symptoms flare up, when the storm starts or the disconnect begins,
they are usually horribly misunderstood,
horrendously bullied,
and often feared.
The are misjudged over and over again!
So what's the answer? Do we owe it to each other to expose our pains, weaknesses, diseases or ailments? Are we supposed to walk up to someone and say
Hi, I have cancer, sorry about the bald head
Don't worry about me, it's just the Tourette's talking
Sorry I didn't come to the party, I was too depressed to be around people
Yes ... and No
I have found that while we don't owe anyone an explanation for
who we are,
what we suffer with or
how we look ...
when we do let them see into our pain, when we acknowledge the illness for what it is, we have the chance to be cared for
So whether we share on Facebook or send out a Tweet...
whether we blurt out our pain in a crowded classroom or around the office cooler,
these are potential paths leading to more pain
too often not leading to the care we crave and very much deserve.
My friend, search out those in your life who are safe.
Those who can give you that care you crave and that you very much deserve
like a warm blanket when we have a fever,
an arm gently placed around our shoulder when we're discouraged or
a listening ear and a kind word that says I hear you and I believe you
Praying that the guarding hand of Wisdom will not give the Bully even one round on the playground.
Praying that we have eyes to see, to look beyond the immediate, the obvious
that we have eyes to see the invisible, the broken and the beautiful.
