Guilt Extinguisher
It was my first year teaching and already I felt like a failure. Every time I asked my supervisor for something, she denied my request. Each time I suggested an activity for my multi-handicapped...
View ArticleWhatever!
Long before Twitter, teenagers spoke their own language. Adults didn’t adopt their expressions. But, parents clearly understood their child’s messages. Especially when they were conveyed in grunts or...
View ArticleAbundant
It’s funny when it happens to others. The sight of someone dropping a bag of groceries can be hilarious. The shopper picks up several items, only to drop them while chasing down a runaway orange....
View ArticleNot Abandoned
Do you feel you’ve been left to suffer alone? Has no one come alongside you to help you parent a child with mental illness (MI)? When a loved one dies, friends and relatives flock to the home of the...
View ArticleWasted Wondering
Would you ever hop in a car without knowing your destination? I have. Our family used to have elaborate road rallies. We’d pair up with a partner and hop in a car, not knowing the destination or...
View ArticleDesert Island Paradise?
Diamond HeadHonolulu, Hawaii Would you pick up a travel brochure that advertised, “Visit the Land of Sorrow”? Perhaps it would at least grab your attention. Curiosity might tempt you to peek at the...
View ArticlePreparing for the Unexpected
Certain signs can’t be trusted. Like signs that say, “Construction ahead.” After sitting in a sixty-minute backup, we finally arrive at the construction site. No workers? Really?!!!! No wonder we’re...
View ArticlePower for the Powerless
Could the gunman’s mother have prevented the Dallas June 13th attack? Once again, the nation’s attention is on parents of a killer with mental illness (MI). As you watched the drama unfold, did you...
View ArticleGone, but Not Gone
Here’s what I have to say to my illness. Wretched multiple sclerosis (MS), You may have whittled down my ability to teach. You may have invaded my brain with countless lesions. Making it difficult for...
View ArticleThe Wrong Way?
Is it wrong to keep your child’s mental illness (MI) a secret? Friends or relatives may offer the common social inquiry: “How’s …?” or “What’s new with …?” You wonder: Does she really want to know...
View ArticleEncouragement
What would help you through the day? No matter what your situation, my guess is that you could use some encouragement. That’s what I’ve needed while raising a child with mental illness (MI). I...
View ArticleBanish Worries
I love ‘but.’ It’s a powerful word to declare moving day on worries and cares. The Psalmist loved using it. It helped him focus on Someone bigger than his problems. He deliberately shifted his focus...
View ArticleHandle With Care
We all know what to do about a shaken can of soda. Let it settle before opening it. Otherwise it will explode and foam will shoot out. Do you feel like a shaken can of soda? Is your heart like that...
View ArticleGetting Away: Guilt or Gratitude?
Twin Oxen, Williamsburg, VA “We won’t be able to go on our vacation,” a friend told me. Her son had just been admitted to a psychiatric unit again. “I don’t think it would be right for all of us to...
View ArticleStrange
In the midst of the Christmas gift-giving, my mother noticed something odd. With a frisky tone of voice, she pointed out, “Howie’s listening to a glass … we’ve lost him.” All eyes shifted to see my...
View ArticleIn Knots
Williamsburg, Virginia “Grandpa has a sore belly,” our daughter-in-law explained. Our granddaughter wouldn’t have understood pain from a gallbladder attack. But she surely could sympathize with belly...
View ArticleFinding Peace during Cold, Dark Times
When does the season match emotions? When the sun isn’t shining and the temperature hits below freezing. That’s when some people get seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Cold and grey winter days can...
View ArticleSadness, Depression, and Other Emotions
Some good news came from the medical community recently. New recommendations have been made regarding screening adults for depression. Why is this good news for moms raising kids with mental illness...
View ArticleFacing Change
At fourteen, I’d already figured out what I hated most about life. “I hate change,” I declared. “Get used to it. Life is full of change,” my mother advised. Her reply didn’t change my opinion. It was...
View ArticleGod knows.
From the ground, the residents may not be able to see the impending doom. But I could see that the river was drying up. That’s because I was in an airplane. Are you like that river? Are your mental,...
View Article
More Pages to Explore .....