When Ruby asked me if I’d like to contribute to Canvas I was excited. As in really excited. As in ‘I’m a bit bouncy and excited’ excited. I bounced around for a bit, being all excited and then it started to dawn on me that if I wanted to write something for Canvas I’d actually have to sit down and write something. If I’m honest I sat down to try and write something quite a few times. I’ve always been a perfectionist. And I’ve always been struck by the irony that when you’re a perfectionist there is no such thing as perfection.
It seems sensible to start with an introduction. I’m WeeGee and I’ve been blogging over at ‘How do you eat an elephant?’ for almost two years. I’m 34 years old and I have a long history of mental health difficulties, which, let’s face it, is why I’m here. “I have a long history of mental health difficulties” is something I say a lot. It’s easier than talking about the depression, and the self-harm, and the eating disorder, and the addiction, and the suicidal thoughts and behaviour. Saying that I have a long history of mental health difficulties covers a whole lot of ground in a few short words.
Things have been really bad for me a few times – Spring 1995, Summer 1998, Winter 2000, Spring 2006, and Autumn 2011 right the way through to Spring 2013. It always feels dramatic to say it out loud but when I think about where my brain has been and the things I’ve done to myself I’m lucky to be alive. When I think back to the dark times its remarkable that I’ve got myself to a point where I feel lucky to be alive.
As things stand I am as well as I know how to be. I have an underlying mental health condition but I am medicated at a ‘therapeutic level’. I’m able to function and enjoy my life and look forward to things. I’m not currently under the care of a psychiatrist and it’s more than a year since I last hurt myself on purpose. I have grey days and I have hyper days and I worry more than most humans would consider humanly possible BUT I’m well enough to be glad that I’m alive and to care enough about my life to keep myself in it.
There were times that I felt like there was no hope and that my life was over. There were times that I felt like I neither deserved nor wanted my place in the world. There were times that just getting out of bed felt as difficult as gathering up the ocean in my arms. But somehow, I got out of bed, and I hoped, and I lived my life, and I took my place in the world regardless. I gathered up the ocean in my arms.
I know that my ‘mental’ isn’t going to go away – I’m a broken person and them’s just the breaks. I also know that you can learn to live with mental, that you can get through it even though you can’t see the end. I know that tomorrow always comes. The beauty of it is that tomorrow can last for a very long time. I’m hoping that my tomorrow might last forever.
If it doesn’t? I’ll gather up the ocean again…..
Hope is important. It’s what carries your heart when it’s too heavy for you to bear.
WeeGee xoxo
© WeeGee and A Canvas Of The Minds 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to WeeGee and A Canvas Of The Minds with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Hope is everything. Thank you for sharing.
It really is, isn’t it? Thank you for your comment 🙂 xoxoxo
Lovely! Welcome to the team. 🙂
Why thank you. It feels super duper to be on board 🙂 xoxo
What a beautiful post!
Take care ♡
Thank you so much Tilda.
Take care of you too xoxoxo
Great post. Beautiful ocean & sand & seagull photo. Thanks.
You are very welcome indeed. And thank you too xoxox
weegee back to her best xx
Awww – thanks Mr Moose xoxox
Really love this. Just what I needed today. Thank you
Thanks Ellie – I’m glad you liked it 🙂 xoxox
What a brave and beautiful person you are! You give me hope. Welcome to the Canvas family–looking forward to seeing more of you around here 😀
I’m glad I managed to share a little of my hope around. Thanks for the welcome – it’s nice to be on board 🙂 xoxoxo
This is lovely. I love that imagery of gathering up the ocean. Thank you for writing this. I am definitely checking out your blog.
I’m glad you like it 🙂 And you are very welcome. Oh and thanks by stopping by my blog 🙂 xoxox
Great post WeeGee. And welcome to the Canvas crew!
Thanks Cate – much appreciated xoxoxo
Thank you WeeGee. I totally agree in the importance of hope. I have often been told to live in the present, and mostly that is good advice, but sometimes the only thing that can keep you going is hope for the future. I think that is why depression can be so dangerous, because at times it can take away our ability to hope. But as you said, tomorrow always comes. I really hope your tomorrow lasts forever.
Thank you Emma – what a lovely comment. Keep on hoping for tomorrow and hold on to it when it comes along 🙂 xoxox
Beautiful long arms round the ocean. Thanks. Your road is not an easy one.
Thanks lovely – I appreciate your comment. Take care xoxox
I’m excited that you’re here too, WeeGee – your style of writing is just what many of us (i.e, me) need. We’ll be Canvas newbies together, also. 🙂
I’m sorry it took me so long to respond to your lovely comment. I was having one of my little hides (I have to have them every so often, helps with the sanity!) 😀
Hi there! So sorry I’m late to welcome you.
But! Welcome, welcome, welcome! We’re all nuts here, as you can tell… or maybe I am the only nut? Nah, I am sure that that handsome guy right on top is nuts too. Most definitely a good, that’s for sure. That must be why we get along so well 😉
Looking forward to getting to know you [more] and it is really nice to have you here.
Hey there! Thanks for the lovely warm welcome 😀 I’m looking forward to taking part in the AWESOME world that is Canvas xoxox