tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7239140084937897595.post1972398931535897898..comments2023-10-19T10:26:30.108-04:00Comments on Yin and Yang: Shadows And LightUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7239140084937897595.post-74244610539985154592010-09-25T04:47:20.174-04:002010-09-25T04:47:20.174-04:00Hi Kate,
I think it's great that you are makin...Hi Kate,<br />I think it's great that you are making such a strong effort to write on a regular basic and use your talents. I think it's great that you understand we all have the ability to try and improve our lot in life - whatever it may be. believe we are all dealt a hand which we must figure out how to use. In your case, mental illness was the problem you were given to deal with, as it was in my case too. We can do a lot with these problems. We can use the recovery model, can express ourselves in writing and art (in your case, about the art), and we can create blogs like yours and mine to educate people and create awareness about the illnesses we go through.<br /><br />I totally understand the desire to write a book. I want to do that as well, and have wanted to for some time. I also understand wanting to speak out about mental illness. I think you would be great at that. I am going to be speaking at a couple of places soon and it's exciting to be able to have that opportunity to educate people about what I've lived through. You could educate many, if you found an outlet where they would use your talent of self expression.<br /><br />I didn't get the feeling from reading your post that you are planning on committing suicide. I think we all think those thoughts from time to time, particularly those of us who deal with depression as part of our lives. But as the people in the other comments here wrote, suicide is not a good idea at all. It's a permanent solution to a temporary problem. I'm sorry that feminist died as she did, and I would hate for you to do the same at any age for any reason. You have so much good you can do on this earth. Don't give up! Keep plugging along as you have been, and I think life will get easier for you and happiness will become more readily available as time goes on.Feminist Voice with Disabilitieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04971702402040080054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7239140084937897595.post-26101442180107346072010-09-20T10:29:44.411-04:002010-09-20T10:29:44.411-04:00Dear Kate,
Suicide is always a mistake, except I ...Dear Kate,<br /><br />Suicide is always a mistake, except I think in cases of extreme physical pain. The problem is that emotional pain feels so real, so all consuming. That 77 year old feminist has children that feel cheated. They probably would never have considered her a burden in her old age.<br /><br />Even if you stop writing, you have more paintings and drawing to create. You have more books to read. You have more songs to sing and publish online. You have more experiences with your cats. You have family. You have a wealth of life, which I know is hard to see when you are struggling.<br /><br />I've thought of the Buddhist nun you love to read, and how much she encourages us to smile and be kind to one another. She never says it that simply, but I feel it in the bottom of all that she writes.<br /><br />I am currently noticing what other people's smiles do to me. I must be more sensitive because I have schizophrenia. Maybe its that I'm lonely too. But I swear, they knock me over. The feeling of warmth is so good. A stranger smiling at me makes me smile back in return, and I don't think they can imagine how grateful I am for their genuine smile.<br /><br />In your essay your thoughts circled back to the simple delights of life and acknowledgment of their power. Stay on the Buddhist path and I think you won't want to suicide.<br /><br />I know that reading about someone who you can admire, if you read about their suicide it can become more attract to yourself. This happened to me, I became suicidal, after a favorite fashion designer killed himself - Alexander McQueen. Resist the bad example good people set with suicide.<br /><br />My God, do you know what a loss your suicide would mean to me personally? Because you suffer, and you endure and create, you are a light to me. I can fall in love with a mind, it happens all the time. And your mind is tops. I check your blog almost every day for new entries. Talk about suicide, I don't mean to shut you up, but know, my vote is that you stay alive and be my friend.<br /><br />Yours,<br />KarenKaren May Sorensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14436905322393073250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7239140084937897595.post-30994374714638524042010-09-17T07:26:32.671-04:002010-09-17T07:26:32.671-04:00Kate,
I just sent you an email and then I read yo...Kate,<br /><br />I just sent you an email and then I read your post "Shadows and Light." I understand the suffering, because as you know I suffered many clinical depressions for years. However, Buddhism states that suicide is NOT a choice. According to Buddhism, one may be reborn as an animal to learn the preciousness of life. As human beings, we may reflect on our existence and all life forms, etc. We are here, I believe, to help ourselves and others. Please reconsider this kind of thinking. In my opinion, it is not courageous to take the power to end one's life, not dignified at all. You have great value and gifts and I feel certain that your future will be ever brighter and you will step into the light and the shadows will become fewer and easier to handle. Trust me. I unfortunately have experienced great darkness and although I do believe many of the teachings of Buddhism to be true, my love for life is deeply rooted in my Judaism and a belief in G-d. Death is a mystery and even if we think we know what it is about, I have never met anyone who can tell me what it is. Have you?nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03055473677861147084noreply@blogger.com