Mental Illness Awareness Week - October 3-9th.

There are 2 ways of spreading Light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it - Edith Wharton

Mental Illness Awareness week here is October 3rd to the 9th.  I was asked by my social worker to speak about my journey.  I agreed since I think it is very important to bring awareness and understanding.  Anyhow, I am going to be speaking October 6th. I am nervous as this will be the first time I have spoke publicly to 100s of people at a time about my journey.   I have prepared my speech and I will post it here after the 6th along with news on how it went.

I came home from work Wednesday night to some sad news.  A dear friend of mine who has made a similar journey as I have is walking that journey yet again.  My heart cries for him.  It is always a fear that I could become ill again, and to hear that my friend has breaks my heart.  He has a lot of support from his family and the medical field.  I wish I could be there with him to support him also, but he is on the other side of the world so I must send my love and support to him through the internet.  I met him shortly after I was diagnosed and he was there to share his experience and help me through my journey.  I only hope I can help him as much as he helped me........

He sent me a poem that he wrote about his feelings and the darkness.  I am going to share it with you now.

The Voice

the voice
sometimes it takes over my body and soul
it attacks with fury and rage and all
the voice i hear is malignant and vile
it attacks with vigour and anger but no style
it attacks me all day without thought or remorse
its insults hurt like a kick from a horse
this voice i hear ive heard it for years
it shouts out constantly pounding in my ears
come sun come storm and followed by rain
its always there to dish out its pain
as night draws in and i long for my bed
the voice i have heard subsides in my head
always alive its never dead
creature or devil or human kind
this thing took up residence in my mind.
we live together in torment and in hell
it lingers about like the foulest of smells
i pray one day that this voice it hides
and leaves the place of which it resides.