
Write your story. Even if your story isn't always pleasant and upbeat right? My goal has been to be positive and feel good. In writing our stories and posting our statuses I think we often leave out the bad. On purpose. Who wants to show their crazy. In an effort to be a REAL person, I need to write today for me. I need to open up the pain and spread it out on the screen, in hopes that it will just get out of me. I will not be sharing this on Facebook on my blog page. It is for me. It is for my readers. No matter how few. I hope you find it to be the truth as I see it. And I hope in some small way if you are reading it, or choose to share it with anyone, it will help. It will help you find hope.
Today, is Sunday. One of my favorite days of the week. I get to go to the house of God and fill my cup by taking the sacrament and learning or teaching of him. I have not written of my travels to the mountains with my husband. I will. We returned on Friday. It was relaxing and restful. When I share the photos you will hopefully feel the peace we enjoyed. I digress. It's Sunday. As I prepared to go to church I suddenly became very weepy. It continued for an hour and my mind and memories began to attack.
I have made many mistakes in my life. Ammunition for low days. I believe in a higher power. I also know there is an evil power and it knows when to fire. This morning it was firing. It came quickly and I was not prepared. I tried to fight. I listened to an uplifting and understanding talk. I made food. I got my pretty on. Nothing. Nothing helped. I sad down to eat and the wave of depression finally consumed every inch of my entire being. I broke down and cried.
I still tried to positive self talk. "It will pass" and "I just need to get to church." As I sat trying to eat the tears ran like a river down my cheeks and wouldn't quit. A wave of fear washed over me and I realized I wasn't going anywhere. I walked in to tell my husband. Who was oblivious to my emotions at this time. It freaked him out. He didn't know what to say, or do. Men want to fix. They want to find meaning and the root so it can be fixed. However, there was no root that I knew of at the time. I told him so. He quietly, perhaps a bit frustrated walked away and changed out of his church clothing. Now lower than low, means I want to be alone. So, at first I felt mad that he didn't go without me. Then from his office he suggested we watch Conference from April since we were not going. I agreed. (Looking back, I am grateful for his presence of mind to stay and keep me busy.)
I sat down in my recliner in his office. (It's his man cave but I have a pink recliner in there. True love right?) I elevated my feet. Kleenex in hand and water to the side. I listened to men of God and hoped for a lift. Lift in my mood, lift in my mind, lift of light. See, when I get this way it's a deep dark abyss. I can say that and even that description cannot fully help you understand. A deep dark pit. My body felt this energy draining darkness and it went from my toes to the top of my head. I am 41 years old and trying for the first time to learn to deal with this on my own. I have a lot of skills. But, in that cataclysmic moment of pitch black hell the skills didn't mean shit. It hurts. It's painful. It is a nightmare. I could barely move.
The worst part is the that there is really no reason. I mean I can say it must be because my summer is almost over and I am struggling wanting to go back to teaching. It is so draining being a teacher, mom, wife and Sunday school teacher. I literally have no time for myself and it's really difficult. But, good hell - I don't have a life threatening disease. I have a beautiful home. I am living in New Mexico with my children just down the street. I have a pretty damn good life. Yet, there I sit...bawling. Uncontrollably. It really pisses me off.
Today is Monday now. I can at least function some. In large part because Jeff didn't leave me alone. I am trying to get busy. I am not going into work early this week like I planned. I decided I better enjoy my last week at home and do somethings here that I really enjoy and want to do. I am about to recover my chairs. We get a new couch in a few weeks. Red. My favorite color.
If I could give advise. If that is what you want. If you need a happy ending. I guess I would say. Be honest about your pain. About your illness. If you are having a bad day tell someone. Then allow them to be there for you. Even if you don't want them to be. This will pass. It always does. I have to take time for me. I suggest you do the same. When your ready a friend, spouse, counselor is good to talk with about how you are feeling. Not someone who is going to demand to fix it. Someone who can quietly sit with you, and talk to you as you are ready. You can sort through it. And you should. A little bit at a time.
Remember - If you need to sleep. Sleep. If you need to sit on the couch and watch mindless movies. Take the time to do it. If you do not care for yourself and take the time your body is telling you that you need, the illness will control you. Don't let it be the boss. You are the boss. Take control and take care of you.
Lastly, find light. Create something. Last night when I finally felt I could leave the recliner I came to the living room and began to draw. (Technically, doodle.) I want to do clip art of people to use on my documents. My own clip art. So, I doodled. It helped. Create something. Find a way to make something. Get the pain out. Write or talk about it. Find the light. It is in you. No matter how dark you feel. The light is there. You were born with it and it never goes out. Find it.
Loves,