You’ll Never Walk Alone
The first time I heard this song was on the Jerry Lewis Telethon. It was when I was very young, and I knew that when I grew up I wanted to volunteer for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, because I didn’t want anyone to walk…or wheel…alone.
Now that I am an adult with a Serious Mental Illness, I realize just how important it is not to be alone. It has been a really rough week. I got a medical diagnosis that I wasn’t expecting, which may help explain some of the previous issues, but was emotional. I had to miss my nephew’s first band concert because I was hysterical. I tried driving for the first time in months and cried and cried and cried. But there were some great moments, too. I drove for a second time, and it went great. I did some life skills on my own that I haven’t been able to do in a long time. And I was able to go to my dear friend’s choir concert.
Along with all the events, my mood was up and down, up and down…it’s exhausting. But it’s life with a mental illness. But in the last week I added a couple of people to my support team, which is incredibly helpful. An amazing eating disorder specialist and an amazing counselor. I had support almost every day last week because we have so many great people on the team.
But it’s still hard. Support people don’t cure the problem, they just make it easier to cope. I still have to use all my coping skills, take my medicine, lower my expectations of myself…and still sometimes its not enough. I still have so many ups and downs. I’m exhausted. I want to give up. But I’m not going to. Even when I want to, my support team helps me keep walking.
And so I'll walk on, my heart full of hope, and I know that I'll never walk alone.
This Mother’s Day, cling to your supports. Your mom, your dad, your grandma, your husband, your wife, your best friend…whoever it is that makes your life worth living and let them know how grateful you are for them. As long as you have each other, You will never walk alone.
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