Mental Illness
I have had the privilege to undergo a lot of mental and emotional counseling in my life, At one point, it occurred to me that most of us would be well served by having feedback about our choices in life. We are all the result of our environment, our parenting, peer pressure and our uninformed choices. The world is a challenging place to be in at times. However, there are those among us who genuinely have mental illness, that need attention.
Lou Ann and I went to a movie tonight put on by the local mental health association titled Beyond Silence. There were three people featured in the film. One was diagnosed with Bipolar 1, one with Bipolar 2 and one was schizophrenic. One of them committed murder by following the voices in his head, the other two wanted to kill themselves. They were about as sick as one can be. However they found their way back to wholeness. One found his way by getting a Golden Retriever. The lady in the film used Yoga as a vehicle to wellness. The third took up bicycling to find his freedom. Yes, they all went through traditional therapies. However their hearts were opened to the possibilities of life through service to others. It is often, that those who become the finest teachers, leaders or therapists are the ones who have experienced the deepest amount of pain and worked their way through.
I encourage anyone who feels like they are unable to cope with life, to seek counseling. Don’t go through life in a lot of pain and try to get through it yourself. We are here for each other. It may be as simple as getting a loving dog or other animal that loves us unconditionally, that allows us to open our heart to the possibilities of our magnificence. If you see others in emotional distress or behavior that does not serve them. please get involved and help them find support. Underneath the silence of our broken hearts is a place of love for all of us. From my heart to yours, Thomas