It’s 4am. Before the horizon fills with light, and I am filled with dread. A thousand little bits of worry and fear. Do you have a child? Look at them. Look in their eyes. What do you see? Light? Hope? Brightness? Wonder, excitement? Peace…God, the Peace. I never noticed the Peace before. And now I miss […]
He Carries, I Witness
He carries, I witness. On his knees, hands folded together in front of him, fingers entwined. Head tilted back, eyes to God. Big round tears dropping from each eye, rolling down his cheeks. Quiet sobs escaping between the downturned corners of his mouth. Quietly at first, he prays. Then he cries. He wails. Praying and […]
Less Judging, More Loving
What do you think someone looks like who suffers from mental illness? Do you think they look like this? In today’s society, our social media streams are filled with all kinds of awareness week notifications. The amount of requests we receive to ‘like this’ or ‘share that’ to help bring awareness to multiple causes can […]
Hope On, Journey On
“Mommy, you must come get me. Now. Right now. I can’t stay here. I’m worried I’m going to hurt myself. Please…” His voice was breaking. He was crying. I could hear fear and desperation. He had fallen, into a deep and dark place again. And for no particular reason that any of us could discern. […]
A Day in the Life
No one could’ve really known that retrieving an overthrown frisbee-like disc from the waist high weeds would have set off what’s called a mixed episode or state (mixed states happen when a child is experiencing both mania and depression together). He was barefoot, enjoying a game of catch with Grandpa on a warm late summer […]
Together We Will Survive
What would you do if your child’s doctor told you that he has a condition that is completely treatable, but is fatal in 15-20% of all cases? That this condition will be with him his whole life. He won’t grow out of it. But with the proper treatment plan, he can live a relatively ‘normal’ […]