Exploring the fabric of our stories one character at a time.

Through the looking glass at the other side

As the saying goes, there is always two sides to a story. Someone is struggling and suffering through life as we know it. Wondering if there will ever be a day where there is no pain, when they can feel happy, at least feel as if they are loved by someone. Walking through each day seeing no light at the end of the tunnel. Thinking that there is no other way for them to go on. Two stories But that story also includes all the people that have once touched this person’s life. The family members that could lose a …

Can you tell if someone needs help?

Look at the people around you. At their faces and the way they carry their body. Which ones are smiling, with a look of happiness? What about those that are not smiling? Are they sad, angry, or just a content expression? Can you tell which ones may be in need of help? Ones that are sad, depressed, lost, or that they may consider something drastic? You may be surprised on what you find. Can you tell? I go to work and talk with my coworkers with a cheerful tone and a smile on my face (most of the time.) Do …

Suicide Prevention-Not the End of the Story

Did you know you were loved, but didn’t feel it? Were you ever in a room full of people, but felt completely alone? Did you ever wonder if anyone would miss you if you were not around? Have you ever thought that you couldn’t be a bother anymore? Suicide Prevention Month September is known as the National Suicide Prevention month. On average there are 130 suicides per day. Every day there is someone that is thinking of ending their life story. A life story that should not yet end. Trauma, depression, anxiety, or any other mental health illness, the overwhelming …

Symbol of strength in life

A mark, design, image, or object can hold enough power to make a person feel and think. Symbols come in various sizes, shapes, and colors. Each one in the world mean something different to each person. I found myself floundering in life lately. Shutting down my emotions or going through life with an unfocused mind. So much on my mind, I wanted to find something I could connect to that would help me through this time in my life. Some of my family members have found interest in tattoos and this inspired me. If I wasn’t such a chicken, I …

When is enough really enough?

Ever get to the point in life when you are ready to throw your hands up and scream? Frustrations and anguish seem to be coming from all sides at you. Almost at a point of seeing no light at the end of the tunnel. When is enough really going to be enough? If it is enough, then what? What can you do? A time when it feels like life keeps throwing obstacles at you. Making you wonder if you are strong enough to get through life. Questions of why is this always happening to me? Or why can’t I just …

Is it really in the past?

Sitting here watching my son play with his friends in the neighborhood, I start to think about children and childhood. Are we who we are because of our childhood, because of our past? Does the past dictate our present? The Others I remember driving in my parent’s car when I was younger, looking at all the houses flashing by. I would think about the people that may be living inside the buildings. Is there a family with kids inside? Maybe there was more than one family living there? Could there be kids too? Or maybe it was a group of …

Vulnerable in Life or Strength in Numbers

It is one thing to face life’s hurdles. It is another when you have a loved one that is facing life altering challenges. The amount of emotional battles your mind and body fight can make your head spin. The vulnerability alone can cripple the strongest man. Is it really worse There is a phrase that I have heard people say, “There is always someone that has it worse than you.” I need be honest. I hate that statement. Yes, there are people in the world that struggle through life with no family, no money, no home or job. Or they …

Just surviving or being the survivor

It is just a mark, a symbol forcing a pause, but not an end. The semicolon, a punctuation mark that is commonly used in English grammar to indicate a pause in the sentence, a continuation to follow. Just a dot and swish has a strong presence. This mark is not just a mark to others. It is a symbol of taking a pause in life and finding the way to continue. To start anew, all the while acknowledging that the past happened and moving on. A mark of surviving. Survivor that is stronger than before. Surviving the Good and Bad …

What is your life role in the story?

When we are going through life, turning the pages in our stories, every person we meet is a character. That character adds shape to our story. When we think about our own mental health chapter in our stories, we need to not only think about ourselves, but all of those characters in our story. Characterizing As we focus on our health, we need to look at the people in our lives to determine their role. In my life story, I have people that are clearly in the supporting role and people that are in the story as more static roles. …

Paying the high price for always being super

I have been talking about taking care of yourself in “Do you have enough time to take care of YOU?” and finding who is supporting you in “Do you have all of the support you need?“. Ultimately, are we paying the high price of always trying to be the superman or wonder woman of our family and friends? Stress and pressure can always come on small and build, and BUILD, until it overwhelms…then BOOM! Now there are problems. Building Pressure I have been finding myself hitting that last brick wall before I get to the BOOM of my mind. Constant …