Day 12 cont.
Beneath closed eyes…
So remember that work in progress? The idea to meditate? I’m perhaps the most restless being I know. So the past two nights before that, I would meditate, and still have energy to burn before falling asleep. I had assumed it would be the same way, especially because the two nights before I was actually tired on top of that, and last night, I was definitely not even tired when I started meditating. I start meditating, scenes unravel in my head, my body becomes peaceful and suddenly, all I can feel is my face, the absolute stillness of it. As if my whole face went numb, my lips heavy yet weightless, everything resolutely there. Does that make sense? I’m digressing. Point is, that’s the last thing I remember before passing out completely. I woke up at 3 am, shocked I had even fallen asleep. It wouldn’t have bothered me so much if I didn’t have my stream-of-conscious piece to write, as well as the fact I left candles burning :X So I had to rush up briefly to blow out the candles, and was too tired to do anything, and passed out again. It ended up not getting done til today. But boy, that was a learning experience. YOU CAN’T OVERCLEANSE YOURSELF. YOU’LL ONLY FALL ASLEEP. Hahaha all those self-cleansing things, when really working, leave me tired (read: yoga) and I forgot that because it had been so long. Nonetheless, the stream-of-conscious piece got done, and oh dear it’s so rough but I suppose that’s what this is for… to force all the thoughts out of you. So, if you honestly want to read it… it’s right here.
Day 13
Making a statement
“The truth is that according to the World Health Organization, depression is one of the leading causes of disability, with approximately 121 million people suffering with depression worldwide. The National Institute of Mental Health states that approximately 18 million people suffer from depression in America alone. Depression does not discriminate across age, race, gender, or class. Among teenagers it is estimated that 20 percent will suffer from depression at some point by the time they reach adulthood. There are also as many as 8.3 percent of teens suffering from depression for at least a year at a time, compared to 5.3 percent of the general population.
Insprired by the work of TWLOHA (To Write Love On Her Arms), an organization created to spread awareness for teen depression, self-injury, and suicide, we are coming together to make sure the whole world knows. We are not directly affiliated with TWOLHA, but are in great support of their work To find out more about TWLOHA visit their website here: http://www.twloha.com/
During the time of year that suicide rates are at their highest, we chose February 13, the day before Valentine’s Day, as our opportunity to start showing people how much they are loved. We will physically write the word LOVE on our arms (with a sharpie, or whatever other ink suits you best). If someone asks you what it’s for, tell them about TWLOHA. Tell them they are loved, that they are important. And ask if you can write LOVE on their arm as a symbol of that. Don’t be afraid to reach out to those who need love, those who you often walk right by every day. They need our care.
There is NO set time, there is NO set location. Where you are, when you are there, speak out.
Some of us may choose to share the love of God, but we want you to share whatever love is strongest for you. Depression has no boundaries, but neither does our love.
Stop the bleeding. Rescue is possible.”
I realized I’ve gone almost the entire month without mentioning my cat Alex, otherwise known as Alexion, Mrs. A, and Bobina (pronounced “Bowbeenah”), the latter generally said in a high, squeaky voice with the accent on the “bee” syllable, as in Bow-BEE-nah. This is not the best photo of Alex, but it’s the only one I had readily available to post. We found her as a kitten, wandering the farmer’s field adjacent to the 4th of July picnic we were attending. In her younger years, Alex loved to wind herself around the bannister, chase the circle of light from a penlight, leap after fireflies, and bask outdoors (on a leash) in the sunshine. She still loves being outdoors, but for much shorter periods of time. She’s a frail little old lady now who seeks the warmth of a lap and sleeps on my pillow, wrapped around my head. You see, Alex is 20 years old!! She’s a grand old dame, and my haiku for today is dedicated to…
I am really enjoying carving stamps. It’s kinda like a mediative activity where I just think about carving. Today I did a heart feather!
red! paint! on drawers!
