It's hard to remember at times, but I really do love my life. Sometimes it can really suck (to say the least), but the good times make up for all the bad. It is always the simple things that mean the most, and the sweetest treasures often come along when we least expect it. It is because of this that there is always a reason to try, always a reason to give just a little bit more, and there is no excuse for not sharing all we have to offer with the world. One of my favorite quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr. is "If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, keep moving." I know sometimes it seems like there is no point in trying, especially when living with a mental illness or disability. It is hard to find a balance of accepting limitations and being dictated by them. I don't believe any of us are wasted space. You don't have to believe in a higher being or an afterlife to consider the integrity of every breath you take. We may not all be destined for "great things" like becoming a celebrity, or writing a bestselling novel, or finding the cure for cancer. Some of us may just work hard all our lives, live paycheck to paycheck, and struggle to survive. That doesn't mean our efforts are in vain. There is a pride that comes along with offering your all for the ones you love. Some of us may not be able to work outside of the home for whatever reason. I am one of those, at least for now. My current mental health issues prevent me from driving and engaging in successful, panic-free social interactions with the public, which is very discouraging since I was able to work for most of thirteen years prior. It is my hope that my condition will improve and I will eventually be able to do those things again. In the mean time, however, I am not content to just sit around feeling sorry for myself. I have children to take care of, for one thing. Not everyone has children to keep them going (and when I say children, I mean in human and animal form). But if you search within yourself, look really hard, and ask yourself what you can do to brighten the corner you are in, you CAN and you WILL find something-even the smallest little thing-that makes your time on earth worthwhile, for both you and others. For me, I decided to use my time as a "hermit" to create my blog and Facebook page in order to reach out to others going through similar trials of mental illness and provide encouragement and support to as many as I can. Sure, that may not seem like a lot to some people. It won't pay the bills or make me famous. But it's a dear project to me, and while I help others it helps ME as well, and I get a lot of satisfaction out of what I am doing. Not everyone who is home bound will want to start a blog or Facebook page, but there may be something you have a knack for that you would like to learn more about and use those skills for a greater good. What is stopping you? You deserve to find fulfillment in life, whether that is from a job, a hobby, or any number of things that produce a positive aura around you and everyone you come in contact with. You owe it to yourself. You owe it to the world. Life is not to be taken for granted, and its uncertainties are not meant to be roadblocks to our ability to live wide open and feel the warmth of all the good in the world that is still present, despite all the cold parts. Don't keep the best of you locked away. It is meant to be shared.
Thursday, January 03, 2013
Your Life, and Why It Matters
It's hard to remember at times, but I really do love my life. Sometimes it can really suck (to say the least), but the good times make up for all the bad. It is always the simple things that mean the most, and the sweetest treasures often come along when we least expect it. It is because of this that there is always a reason to try, always a reason to give just a little bit more, and there is no excuse for not sharing all we have to offer with the world. One of my favorite quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr. is "If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, keep moving." I know sometimes it seems like there is no point in trying, especially when living with a mental illness or disability. It is hard to find a balance of accepting limitations and being dictated by them. I don't believe any of us are wasted space. You don't have to believe in a higher being or an afterlife to consider the integrity of every breath you take. We may not all be destined for "great things" like becoming a celebrity, or writing a bestselling novel, or finding the cure for cancer. Some of us may just work hard all our lives, live paycheck to paycheck, and struggle to survive. That doesn't mean our efforts are in vain. There is a pride that comes along with offering your all for the ones you love. Some of us may not be able to work outside of the home for whatever reason. I am one of those, at least for now. My current mental health issues prevent me from driving and engaging in successful, panic-free social interactions with the public, which is very discouraging since I was able to work for most of thirteen years prior. It is my hope that my condition will improve and I will eventually be able to do those things again. In the mean time, however, I am not content to just sit around feeling sorry for myself. I have children to take care of, for one thing. Not everyone has children to keep them going (and when I say children, I mean in human and animal form). But if you search within yourself, look really hard, and ask yourself what you can do to brighten the corner you are in, you CAN and you WILL find something-even the smallest little thing-that makes your time on earth worthwhile, for both you and others. For me, I decided to use my time as a "hermit" to create my blog and Facebook page in order to reach out to others going through similar trials of mental illness and provide encouragement and support to as many as I can. Sure, that may not seem like a lot to some people. It won't pay the bills or make me famous. But it's a dear project to me, and while I help others it helps ME as well, and I get a lot of satisfaction out of what I am doing. Not everyone who is home bound will want to start a blog or Facebook page, but there may be something you have a knack for that you would like to learn more about and use those skills for a greater good. What is stopping you? You deserve to find fulfillment in life, whether that is from a job, a hobby, or any number of things that produce a positive aura around you and everyone you come in contact with. You owe it to yourself. You owe it to the world. Life is not to be taken for granted, and its uncertainties are not meant to be roadblocks to our ability to live wide open and feel the warmth of all the good in the world that is still present, despite all the cold parts. Don't keep the best of you locked away. It is meant to be shared.
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