Being real

[kristin]

Dear Anne,

It is such a shock sometimes when the scales fall from our eyes and we see something for ourselves isn't it? I reckon even more so when someone has told us in the past and we couldn't see it yet? I think that can be an even bigger whammy because chances are - we denied it vociferously, either to their face or in our heads. And now we see it! 

So well done you for seeing, for being prepared to see what you didn't want to see - because it is very painful, and as a guess was far too painful to face back then. But you are stronger now, you are on your journey and working on being you and facing the truth. The good stuff the bad stuff and the in-between stuff. These all make you who you are. Your journey is unique, and now you are an active traveller, not a passenger (which we all need to be at times too).

As one of my good friends (who also has bipolar) likes to say - I want to hear the thing I don't want to know. Because when we can hear and see these things - not to beat ourselves up about - we can learn more, journey farther. 

I drew a bit of a doodle yesterday, which I've just looked for and can't find. I will try to post a photo when I find it. It was about climbing a mountain. The first part was with a path going straight up the mountain, and said "the 'normal' way (I don't think so! really)"; then the next one was "the MI way" and the path zigzagged across the face of the mountain, and sometimes back-tracked but eventually found the top too.

Yesterday morning I was thinking about @hiddenite and her amazing perseverance, the picture came to me then. I have to ask myself the question implicit in the two drawings. Who has more stamina and journeying under their belts? Those who go straight up or those who need to take the switch-backs? Because life has switch-backs and set-backs sooner or later. Can you imagine never meeting any most of your life and then having a huge set-back? You'd have none of the survival skills you learn on the switchbacks of life. So I want to celebrate climbing this mountain together. With you too @Ellie 

So let's have a song whilst we journey up this mountain of our life. For we will get there - not by another's path but by our own. We are all trail-blazers in our lives. What an awesome bunch of people on this forum! I am so blessed to have such friends as my fellow travellers.

Hope for a healing learning journey endures...

Kindest regards, 

Kristin

[PeppiPatty]

Dear @kristin,
when you were writing climbing a mountain., I was thinking of what has achieved too!!
and she's stayed on the forums too.............that's perseverance..........

It reminds me of what the Psychotherapist: Laing wrote ...that 'normal' people plan and live their lives like an arrow straight up and down but someone with MI (ie: a Schizophrenic in his case....) life......goes like a lopsided line up and down and this way and that and he said that may the the 'better,' life. the more interesting, fulfilling life.

This is what I get from reading posts from my cherished friends online on sane forum and the input of moderators.

[PeppiPatty]

@kristin,

Just last Christmas a lady who lives nearby got her online friend to come over from New Zealand for a week and they cleaned her home......nearby neighbour, not really my cuppa tea .......has some issues and she was able to get this online person to fly over and spend 10 days with her. I felt jealous but in retrospect, I have something as fuffilling in my life and it's you guys !

[PeppiPatty]

Hope your sleeping well sweetness.

@kristin, have you heard from @peace? @sara, or @Chris
@rick?

@Alessandra1992 how are you ? Thankyou from bottom of my heart to you @Loopy have you run away again?

[kristin]

Hi Anne,

The only one we haven't heard from in quite a while is @Rick . Sadly he was (and I suspect still is) having a terrible time with his CPTSD. So I send him my prayers and hold that until he can rejoin us, which I hope will be soon. I really miss him, I think you Sandy & I need to take those scones and tea to have in SA with him.

Cheers, K

[Alessandra1992]

Hi @PeppiPatty oh my goodness- finally the drop down thing just happened! I am so excited! Maybe I should log on more often via my laptop coz it doens't happen on the phone..Your picture even popped up! 

I have been busy getting organised for a new week..a bit of ironing, a bit of topping up my 4 legged therapist with a flea/worm/heartworming tablet..bit of a catch up over coffee with one of my favourite friends, a bit of a natter on the phone to my mother in law and a bit of decluttering- I have thrown out a whole bunch of clothes and I am feeling fantastic! I found clothes that I hadn't even realised I owned (sounds stupid but I often buy clothers for friends and then forget to pass them on).

So I did giv emy bestie quite a stsh when she was visiting last, but I hadn't delved into the wardrobe enough- there were heaps of shorts and 3/4 pants.. well the op shop will enjoy them as they are all pressed and cleaned so shoudl walk out the door..

and I get to feel virtuous for raising funds for the op shop 🙂

am popular with my boys coz I found their nintendo chargers and games...

fun day indeed 🙂

[peace]

@PeppiPatty Hi there. You are a sweetheart. Thanks for being there for me. I am very grateful. I wanted to reply to a post that wrote to me I received it in email but it did not come up on the forum. Anyhow you asked about when I see my psych next. We are on phone contact as far as the new meds are concerned. Funny saying that as my other new meds are now old ones. I see him next Monday. But mostly Anne I really would love a cuppa thank you very much. Sweet Dreams.

[PeppiPatty]

Yep, I miss that @Rick too.
What's CPTSD ?

[PeppiPatty]

Yep, @kristin, miss @loopy, @Chris and @Rick too.
What's CPTSD ?

[kristin]

Hi Anne,

Good question  Here are some links about C-PTSD (short for complex PTSD): 

Wikipedia

About Health

Out of the Fog

You can also search the forum about it, both @Rick and I (and others) have talked about it in various places.

Hope for life without a rollercoaster or a "ghost train" endures...

Take care!

Cheers, K