FacebookTwitterBloggerYouTubeLinkedIn
Jamie's Blog

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Celebrate The Ordinary: Day Three (or four if you're counting)

Those are my antidepressant pills, and every morning for thirty years I have swallowed them.  Gratefully.  
It was not always so--gratefulness, that is.  Not at first
I resisted for a long time because I thought it meant I was weak,
or crazy
or pathetic
or a failure
and a disgrace to God. 
That couldn't be me! I was a cheerleader, for crying out loud; voted "girl most likely to succeed!"
And now I wanted to kill myself???
I took the pills: they went down easy compared to my pride.
Slowly, with great effort, I came to my senses
Three steps forward, two back, I found my right mind. 
The pills alone did not give me my sanity, but they made it possible to regain it.
Taking the pills was one of the kindest things I had ever done for myself.
Thankfully, it is now a daily, 
ordinary thing.


27 comments:

  1. Jamie... I Love You..... You ARE a KIND soul for sharing this. xoxox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love you, too, and thank you going shoulder to shoulder with me and our sisters!

      Delete
  2. Thank you so much for sharing this - it will help many

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course, my aim is to help others. That is why we all write. It helps us to write, and helps others to share it. Thank you!

      Delete
  3. Beautiful and wonderful. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for reading and commenting. I love that my experience can make a difference!

      Delete
  4. Jamie, you have shown that sometimes when we make ourselves get over the biggest hurdles the rewards are correspondingly great. Thank you for sharing your inner self.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So true! But another thing is also true, that what we consider worthless or shameful, others will find rich and meaningful. Either way, we all win!

      Delete
  5. You were voted "Most Likely to Succeed?" That's cool! So was I. ;) I subscribe to the "whateverworks" methodology and I'm glad you support and share your story with so many people who find comfort in it.

    Love, P

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks PW! I forgot to hot link anything in the blog. Oh well, I am a slow learner!

      Delete
  6. This is so wonderful Jamie...I wish I had the words to write how much this means to me...but am all choked up right now.... thank you will have to do xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marie, the words you chose are perfect; to know that I moved you so deeply is more than I could have hoped. Bless you!

      Delete
  7. I love that you give us permission to take these pills - no stigma. You will comfort many with those post. You've already comforted many. xox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Who would be ashamed to take insulin? But our most complex organ, the brain, we put in a different category! I am glad you feel as I do, and will share the freedom with others when the time is right.

      Delete
  8. Jaimie...thank you for this...beautifully said...no stigma Kathleen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Kathleen. If I can lift the stigma a wee bit, just for one person to reach for help, then it was worth it!

      Delete
  9. Jamie,
    I'm wondering if you realize just how powerful this post/message truly is. It's wonderfully honest and so important. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nancy, I know very well how powerful it is to hear that someone else has walked before me, that I am not the only one. You affirm that others are feeling that way about this story, and that makes my heart burst, especially coming from you. I admire you very much.

      Delete
  10. Replies
    1. I will take that as a big compliment, Colleen! :-D

      Delete
  11. Excellent post, Jamie. So different to the "advice" generally bandied around. And so true.
    If you're interested in doing a guest blog on www.riseandsoar.com, please contact me. I'd love something on these lines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shirley, I would be honored to contribute to your blog. Where do I go to sign up?
      Thanks for your kind words, btw!
      Jamie

      Delete
  12. (((Jamie))).. thank you for sharing and being vulnerable.... it is so important for all of us to be real and honest and share our lives with each other... not easy though. My thoughts... I love you and admire you. Our faith is not in pills or in prayers, our faith and hope is in the Almighty God who has compassion on us (Isaiah 54:10) and He uses pills and prayers to heal us, and guides us in the process. I appreciate the courage it takes to trust in Him. Everything is going to be alright. Love, Shelley Anne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is this the one-and-only world-famous Shelley from Canada? I love you, too, dear sister!

      Delete
  13. Jamie,
    Thank you for your honest candor in this post. When I talk to students about mental illness I use this comparison: "You wouldn't tell someone with cancer to just get over it. The same is true for someone with depression. They can't just get over it." The stigma is slowly falling away and your words will help crumble a few more walls. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lisa. Your students are lucky to have such wise teacher!

      Delete
    2. I am grateful for your courage to share openly and honestly. Struggle is a natural part of life; however, we have a choice as to whether we struggle with purpose or struggle needlessly. You, my dear friend, have chosen to struggle with purpose! Your approach is like that of the butterfly! The creature within the chrysalis KNOWS it is destined to fly! It also KNOWS the struggle it must embrace to do so! YOU fly, dear one!

      Delete