Journal to a Muse

More thoughts, less pressure.

Did you read last week that two ace bloggers DIED from the stress of blogging?

I blog because sometimes there are things I want to "preach" about but that I don't have a pulpit for. So I write them here.

I also blog because I (usually) enjoy the back and forth with people. I don't mind disagreement, but I have minimal tolerance for cheap shots, contempt and heavy handed efforts to point out how wrong, stupid or idiotic I am.

I enjoy posting my sketches and paintings because I get more feedback than I could get from my studio-mates, and more honest feedback than I'd likely get in person.

Tonight, it's a brief bit of psychological preaching.

As part of my contract with a local counseling agency I was called out to help a woman whose husband had made a suicide attempt. Fortunately, what he ingested was not enough to killl him. But his attempt was enough for him to be taken to the local emergency room at least over night..

His wife was doing relatively well by the time I got there. Neither hysterical nor out of control.

Between the hospital staff, the husband and the wife, I heard about a life situation with at least 5 situations that could make one feel hopeless and helpless. The man has a very full plate. But he is also proud and only recently decided to seek professional help. He'd sought and received support from his wife on 4 out of the 5, but the 5th was about a past betrayal of her.

Which meant she'd confronted him. And he perceived that as the absolute last straw.

She confided in me that she didn't know if she wanted to stay with him, not because of his depression or the 4 problems... but because he doesn't tell her the truth. Because she feels she cannot trust him. She knows she can forgive him, but it was living with someone unreliable that pulled her up short.

Do you know what the bottom line is for you? I think that most of us want our intimate partners to be trustworthy. There may even be some leeway as to what that mean. Certainly we don't want to feel betrayed, disillusioned or harmed over and over.

Do you know when you are down to your last shred of hope? Do you know how to let loose of some of your pride and accept help from an appropriate source?

Having an argument with your spouse or lover or relative is disagreeable, but it does not mean you are enemies.
Do you have something or someone that needs you? Can you make your own ego sit in time out even when it is in despair so that those who love you and need you aren't forced to live without you? Your children? Your pets?

Help is available lots of places. But you need to ask.