I was browsing the support group's attendance book.
I noticed the handwriting of a member who has stopped coming for a long time.

"He has very nice handwriting!"
The person next to me agreed.
His penmanship was really uncommonly stylish.
I began to recall his demeanour during sharing time.
He reminded me of my primary school Headmaster.
He couldn't really express himself, but you'd know that he is burdened with a heavy heart.

I continued staring at his handwriting, while silently wishing him well.

LOOK at the camels first and then read the message below. This is a picture taken from directly above these camels in the desert at sunset. It is considered to be one of the best pictures of the year. When you look closely, you can see that the camels are the little white lines in the picture. The black images you see are just the shadows! Sometimes, our "problems" seem to be as big as the shadows...but they are little.

My co-worker confided in me about her 9-year-old nephew who is currently having problems with stress.
We were sharing coping skills that have been tried and tested, and how devastating mismanagement of unstable emotions can be.
I was very eager to share with her a real case study, a friend who was severed by mental illness but finally found his way to overcome it.
At the height of my eagerness to prove the authenticity of this story, I revealed to her that I was hospitalised in the ward before.

I don't know if I was being too trusting or simply careless.
But I do trust her.

““This was her life. Not the life she had once dreamed of, not a life her younger self would ever have imagined or desired, but the life she was living, with all its complexities. This was her life, built with care and attention, and it was good.””

- The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, Kim Edwards

"Don’t try to make life a mathematics problem with yourself in the center and everything coming out equal. When you’re good, bad things can still happen. And if you’re bad, you can still be lucky. "
The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver

Taken from word-collector

I really like this article from TheStar Newspaper as there were many quotes that resonates within me. 

“I didn’t like classical music when I was young, but now I find it the most beautiful kind of music because it harmonises one’s emotions,” he says,

 “Life is never a straight path. But even when you are down, you must not give up. You must struggle to overcome. I believe there is always a way and I also believe that any man can be a useful person,” he says. The tricky bit is finding out what you are good in and trying to develop it. 

“Of course, people are born with different levels of intelligence, but I think everybody is given a few opportunities in his life. And when an opportunity comes along, you must recognise it as one and grab it.”

There were 11 of us having dinner.
The newcomer lady sitting in front asked,
"Erm, are all the people here... er... are they...?"
I presumptiously answered, "We don't look like it, right?"

The other person on my right was more attentive.
"You want to know if all of us are from the Depression Support Group, right? The answer is Yes"

LK

LK, my dear friend.
I'm sorry that I had to end our tele-chat abruptly.
After more than an hour plus, I just couldn't listen anymore.

We met at the most unusual circumstances, we knew each other's darkest side even before we introduced ourselves.
That was 7 years ago.
7 years of friendship is hard to come by, more so for people like us.

LK, we are not healthy people.
It's a painful fact to swallow but admitting it is the first foremost important step to recovery and maintaining a decently functional life.
Until and Unless we accept and face this cruel fate, we will always be a burden to our family ,society and of course to ourselves.

I don't want to sound preachy here but I cried when I hung up.
Your condition has worsened.
You were better when we first became friends.
But you have slowly deteriorated since then.
You did make some progress with that Advertising company in Kelana Jaya, but that was it, wasn't it?
I know it's a harsh comment but I need you to know how precarious your current situation is.

On the phone, I reminded you of my own dark episodes.
You were there.
Remember how it was like listening to me?
You're doing it now.
And you have been doing it for years, sporadically.
I tolerated them, because well, you tolerated me.

My ex-colleague texted these very words to me years back when I was unwell.
"You seriously need help. Don't contact us anymore."

It still stings till today but it was a justified statement.
And now I'm saying this to you.

"Please get help. There's no shame in it. You can be better. You can do better.
And you can ALWAYS contact me. "

Tonight, I weep for both of us... and the many out there..

Tumblr.com pics

I was on the Mangrove River Tour, Cherating last Saturday night.
The fireflies were few but just as mesmerizing.

It was so quiet.
My first time being so intimate with Nature.

I whispered to my friend, "This is ideal for meditating."
She nodded.

Everything was so still.
Peaceful.
So overwhelming that I felt out of place.
I could feel the pollutants of my troubles.
A very humbling experience indeed.

all taken from tumblr.com