“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring–it was peace.” ― Milan Kundera
As I review the news headlines of late, I cannot help but consider the simplicity of the canine spirit and wonder where humanity went wrong. Riots in Ferguson, MO; air strikes in Iraq; continuous fighting in Gaza; etc.
Why can’t we be more like dogs and simply enjoy the blessings of life?
I do not intend to diminish the issues and concerns of those seeking to change our world away from racism, terrorism and other civil rights abuses across our world. I just wish that, like a dog, we did not “know evil or jealousy or discontent”.
I wish that we only knew peace. I wish that we could just enjoy the dog days of summer, instead of working so hard to eradicate evil in our human world.
I am lucky. I rarely have to contend with haters, internet trolls and people with ugliness in their hearts. That is because I have the most compassionate and courageous social media friends in the world.
Since the death of Robin Williams was announced, and since it was reported that his death was a suicide, my Facebook and Twitter feeds have been full of compassionate and heartfelt postings for the comedian. There have been posts with understanding for the sufferers of depression and other mental illnesses, and there have been informational posts to offer help to those in need.
I wish that Robin Williams’ daughter Zelda, who obviously is in great pain right now, was as lucky as I am. The haters of the world viciously descended upon her at her worst moment, sending hateful messages about her father to her Twitter account. My heart cries out to her in so many ways.
I am sheltered from such hate, thankfully, most of the time. I know it is out there, though.
Despite the risks of being on the receiving end of the vitriol, many of my social media friends have taken the unusual step of discussing their own battles with depression and other emotional struggles very openly in response to Williams’ death. I admire them so much for having the courage to do that!
Coping with emotional pain takes immeasurable courage on its own. To talk about it openly, knowing that it could have repercussions – well, that is the most courageous thing a person can do. My friends’ purpose in taking the risk was to let others know that they are not alone, and that they can get to the other side of it.
We all hurt, and we are all susceptible to experiencing mental and emotional disturbances. There is no shame in it. There is only sadness when someone loses his or her life because they did not believe that they could get to the other side of it.
I spent 20 years as a mental health counselor, helping people heal from a variety of emotional concerns. If anyone thinks that these people were weak or somehow defective, they would would be wrong. These were the strongest and most courageous people that I have ever met.
I want to thank you, if you were one of those who shared a story about your own struggles in the last couple of days. I also want to thank you if you were one of those who responded to another’s sharing with compassion and support. You have all reminded me of the most wonderful aspects of human nature.
I also want to thank Robin Williams. He made me laugh with his silliness. He made me cry with his seriousness. He helped me understand with his gripping portrayals of The Fisher King and the neurologist Oliver Sacks who discovered groundbreaking treatments for mental illness in the film Awakenings.
I only wish that he could have believed that he could make it to the other side.
Godspeed dear funny man. We will always love you.
If you need help, please check out the resources in your area. There is hope! If you do not know how to access help in your area, these national mental health resources can help get you the services you need.
The past week, and especially the past weekend, has been a physical and mental challenge for me. As I stated I would in a previous post, I moved from a house in Canton, OH to a house in Alliance, OH. There are only 13.5 miles between the two places, but moving is never easy, regardless of the distance.
The physical challenge is obvious – moving is tough on the the body, especially when you have as much stuff as I do but can’t afford to pay someone to move it for you! The mental challenge is in organizing and determining what to keep. After organizing the packing and the moving process, you must organize where things go once you are in the new place. I am now in the latter part of the process, which is not quite as physically challenging as the first part, but it is difficult living in the chaos you see above. The good thing is that my new home has many places to put things – ample closet and storage space – and it is such an inspiring space!
The cats were a bit disoriented and out of their element in making the move at first, but they are exploring and making themselves at home.
Mia Meow has been enjoying the numerous windows (Curtain pulls have now all been put out of her reach).
Even Okey, my typically shy and fearful one, has been exploring and expanding her boundaries.
I will be getting the studio space set up in short order so that I can get to the pet portrait orders I have have waiting. I can’t wait to get started painting in the new place!
I also will be tending to the yard and mini-forest that is my back yard. That will take some time, but it is in the plans.
Whenever you move, you typically are leaving some things behind as you venture onward to new opportunities. I will write more on this in the future as to how this particular move represented a move away from undesired circumstances, and a move toward new opportunities. For now, I am glad that I am now in the adventure phase of moving!
Have you moved your home or studio recently? What was the experience like for you?
