Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Thinking
Since I was nine years old, I have been taking care of other people. Back then, it was my little sister, who came to school when she was seven. I felt like I needed to protect her, be there for her, mother her. I've talked about this particular thing before, but never as it relates to me now.
I had my first child when I was nineteen. I was a kid, really, in more ways than just age. I got married when I was twenty-two, and a year later had my second child.
Now we have four, and they are my job.
I've been in therapy for many months, now, working on growing older. No, not older than my age in years, but older in mind and soul and heart.
My husband was going for awhile, as well, but recently decided that he didn't want to go anymore, because it wasn't working for him fast enough.
Our therapist ages people, based on how they respond to things emotionally, and socially. I was about six years old when I first started going, and have made it to age ten. My husband was also around six years old when he started going, and I'm not completely positive, but it seems to me that he is still six. He didn't go for very long.
SO. We have a married couple, who are both very young emotionally and socially, that are trying to raise four children into functional adults. My hopes for good results are low, and sometimes I don't hope at all.
But here I am rambling, and haven't even gotten to my epiphany yet! Here it is: Because I have basically been a "mother" since the age of nine, and because I was raised in boarding school with no actual parents involved for most of that time, I missed out on something very important. Just being someone's child. Being held, knowing that unconditional love that children should know from their parents, being cared for. And what's lacking is so much more than just an emotional level of needing. It's physical. I want someone to do things for me. Brush my hair, tell me to take a shower and go to bed, even tuck me in at night. I want someone to cook healthy meals for me, and insist that I eat them. I want someone to make boundaries for me, and enforce them. I want the knowing that most children have, the knowing of unconditional love. It's this longing that I am quite sure will never be fulfilled, and the emptiness that exists there, that thing that was missing all those years ago, sometimes I feel like I'm drowning in it.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Day 193 - I'm sorry.
I felt abandoned and lonely, and my creativity began to fall away like feathers from a molting bird.
I know you felt like I was judging you too harshly, that I was being unfair. And maybe I was. I waited for a long time, but nothing ever changed. In the depths of my loneliness, I was approached by someone else, someone who shared my passions and held a light of creativity unlike anything I had ever seen. I was immediately drawn towards that light, like a moth to a candle.
Offering a challenge with no judgement, no strings attached... I couldn't say no. Please don't misunderstand me. You and I shared many great moments. But what did you expect? Did you really think that I would wait around forever for you to come to your senses?
I had to move on. I hope that someday you will understand, and I hope you can see the new beauty that I am able to create without you.
Someday, I hope that we can do a photo challenge together again. Meanwhile, I will be exploring the art of reflections in random objects.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Day 192
Yesterday was such a hard one for me. So much emotion. Grief, rage, resignation, exhaustion, frustration, but eventually, happiness. Music really is a form of medicine. Good for the heart, good for the mind, and the soul.
Today still feels strange, like there is something lurking just around the corner, waiting to leap out and fill me up with negative. But this is only morning, and maybe the feeling is just residual from yesterday. We'll see.
A small rant
Just because my doctor did blood work on me, and the things he tested for [Vitamin deficiencies, Thyroid, blood count and sugars] came back fine, does NOT mean that I suddenly feel better. What it means is that I now have more questions and zero answers.
Thank you very much for [not] listening to me.
Sincerely,
Still Freaking Sick
Day 191
Here's his story:
The kids went out to the pool for a swim, and came flying back into the house, yelling about an owl that was laying on the ladder. Ryan went out to investigate, and sure enough. This baby owl had somehow managed to fall into our pool, and made it to the ladder where he was laying, shivering. Ryan plucked him out of the pool, and we all gathered around to offer the little guy encouragement while he dried off.
All of the kids were able to touch him, and we all learned something about this kind of owl (Barred Owl). I don't know about all owls, but this kind has a second set of eyelids that can close, making it's eyes look very blue.
Anyway, while we were sitting with him, we noticed his mother on the other side of our fence, calling to him.
Eventually, he stopped shivering, and worked at flapping his wings a bit. He made it over to the fence, but couldn't manage to get to the other side, so Ryan gave him a boost.
The mom was there waiting for him, and she came right up to him once he'd made it over. We watched as she stretched out her wings, and as she got him to do the same. She led him over to a tree with limbs that were closer to the ground, and convinced him to go up.
The last thing I saw was Baby Owl sitting on a branch, with his mom and dad on other branches in the same tree. A happy ending!!!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Announcing the best machine, EVER.
It does everything! It cleans, it cooks, it washes and folds your laundry! It finds your lost things! It serves as a taxi, a bed, a comforter, a gardener! It wipes away your tears and snot! It makes you lists, so that you never forget something at the grocery store! It keeps a running record of your life through photographs! It pays your bills! You never have to worry, because this new machine does all of your worrying for you!
Can't find a sock? Ask the machine! Can't find your pants? Just ask! The machine will find them for you before you can say "skipadeedoodah"!
It can even be inseminated and carry a fetus, deliver it, and nurture it! Note: It can only do this action up to four times, before blowing a fuse and being broken forever. We are working hard on finding a solution to this small problem.
The best part about this new machine? You never have to listen to it's ideas or opinions! We have noticed a couple of small glitches, aside from the one noted above: One which causes the machine to ramble sometimes, and one which makes the machine seem to be almost depressed. But all you have to do is ignore it! Amazing. Truly, the best invention to date. Get yours today!!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Day 181
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Day 180
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Day 178
I dreamed last night that all of my teeth fell out, and I wandered through the house collecting them up off of the floor. Here are some "meanings" to dreams in which teeth fall out:
"Dreaming of teeth falling out may represent insecurity. These dreams often occur at a time of transition between one phase of life and another. When we lost our milk teeth, we also gradually lost our childhood innocence. Loosing your teeth therefore show that today you have similar feelings of uncertainty and self-consciousness as you did in childhood."
Dream Book says (pg 132): At their most fundamental level, teeth seem to represent fidelity to self. That is, the degree to which we uphold our decisions, respect our inner preferences, and remain loyal to what we love and value. In an age when we are taught to hedge our bets, go along with the majority, or stick with situations that are a poor fit because of potential rewards, many of us dream of losing our teeth or finding they are misshapen or unhealthy. This often occurs when the reasons for a compromise are powerful indeed and our awareness of more individual needs has been pushed aside. Threat or harm to teeth often reflects a compromise that is exacting a high (but private) cost to you. Teeth that return to health or wholeness often symbolize the emergence into a situation that permits you greater freedom to be yourself.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
A plea to the Church
Why, WHY do you leave it up to a small handful of wounded people to shout Truth to the world? Why do you look at us and think to yourselves, "How pathetic. Why can't they just move on? These 'kids' are dwelling on ancient history. And, in the process of sinning in that way, they are smearing the Christian 'name'."
Church, you don't need to worry about other people smearing your name. Your deathly silence and eagerness to look the other way is doing an excellent job of that.
Why don't you come along beside those of us who are limping and battle-weary, help to hold us up, join your voices with ours so that we can be louder, and reach farther?
If you are truly children of God, then we, the shushed minority, are your brothers and sisters. And we need you to stand with us, acknowledge us, and help us put an end to future abuse and especially future coverups within the church and other christian organizations.
Through it all, much love.
~Your weary sister.
For information pertaining to our long battle, you can see everything at www.fandaeagles.com
Also check out our forums, where most of the really great conversation takes place.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Day 171
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
A losing battle, maybe.
Why, you ask? There is no reason. Not specifically. Nothing has happened to set me off. I am not worried about anything, or more stressed than usual, or planning on doing something daring. It just happens, randomly, for no apparent reason.
Usually I can calm myself down pretty quickly. Talk to myself, purposely taking deep breaths, distract myself with something else. But this one is proving to be tricky. I feel like throwing up.
I called my doctor's office at 4:35, and asked to make an appointment. I would like to have something around to take, as needed, you see. The receptionist said, "I'm sorry, you're going to have to call back at 8 am tomorrow." I have no idea why. I hung up, and I cried.
Because, I know that by 8 am tomorrow, I will feel normal again. It's right now that I needed to make an appointment, so that I would know that soon I would have something to help. By tomorrow morning, I will probably have forgotten about the whole thing, and will also probably forget to call them back to make an appointment. I will forget until the next time, which could be tomorrow, or next week.
The funny (?) thing is, during this whole thing, I have made dinner, changed a diaper, doled out snacks and drinks, broken up a fight, and sent a couple of text messages.
To anyone looking in, I would seem (maybe) like a normal, albeit high-energy, mom. But nobody can see a panic attack, unless the person having one happens to be wonderfully dramatic. That's what's most scary, maybe. That I can be experiencing this, and be completely alone with it, in myself and my head and my body.
I am going now, even though, or maybe because, this typing hasn't worked. I'm not sure what else to do.