“One of the things that baffles me (and there are quite a few) is how there can be so much lingering stigma with regards to mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder. In my opinion, living with manic depression takes a tremendous amount of balls. Not unlike a tour of Afghanistan (though the bombs and bullets, in this case, come from the inside). At times, being bipolar can be an all-consuming challenge, requiring a lot of stamina and even more courage, so if you’re living with this illness and functioning at all, it’s something to be proud of, not ashamed of. They should issue medals along with the steady stream of medication.”
―Carrie Fisher
Year: 2018
Head Above Water
I’ve gotta keep the calm before the storm
I don’t want less
I don’t want more
Must bar the windows and the doors
To keep me safe to keep me warm
Yeah my life is what I’m fighting for
Can’t part the sea
Can’t reach the shore
And my voice becomes the driving force
I won’t let this pull me overboard
God keep my head above water
Don’t let me drown
It gets harder
I’ll meet you there at the altar
As I fall down to my knees
Don’t let me drown
Don’t let me drown
So pull me up from down below
‘Cause I’m underneath the undertow
Come dry me off and hold me close
I need you now I need you most
God keep my head above water
Don’t let me drown
It gets harder
I’ll meet you there at the altar
As I fall down to my knees
Don’t let me drown
Don’t let me drown
Don’t let me drown
Keep my head above water above water
And I can’t see in the stormy weather
I can’t seem to keep it all together
And I can’t swim the ocean like this forever
And I can’t breathe
God keep my head above water
I lose my breath at the bottom
Come rescue me
I’ll be waiting
I’m too young to fall asleep
God keep my head above water
Don’t let me drown
It gets harder
I’ll meet you there at the altar
As I fall down to my knees
Don’t let me drown
Don’t let me drown
Don’t let me drown
Keep my head above water above water
Don’t Waste Your Time
“Don’t waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear.”
―Paulo Coelho
Dark Days In America: Part II
This contains mature/graphic content.
If you have ever been sexually assaulted or raped, I want you to know #IStandWithYou. The most appalling thing I have experienced during this horrific time is a woman saying to me, “It’s not like he raped her.” It took every last ounce of strength and determination in me not to break her jaw for that. Women who don’t stand with other women, who immediately take the side of a man simply because “he’s a man”, are women I don’t want anywhere near me.
For the record, men have come forward with their own stories and I believe them, because it takes a great amount of strength to stand up and speak the truth.
I’ve been trained, since birth, to speak up, speak out, do not be afraid, and to KNOW there is strength in what I have to say. As long as I know the truth in my heart, I do NOT care if I am believed by assholes who are quick to judge.
I’ve had friends come to me in light of the #MeToo movement with stories that broke my heart and took extraordinary amounts of strength to write, leave alone say to someone else. I have had friends who were raped who were verbally abused by cops when they demanded to report it as the crime that it is. I’ve had friends who were sexually molested and tortured as children, and no one believed them, not even their families. I stand with them and I will keep doing so.
#BelieveSurvivors
The Lotus
“The lotus is the most beautiful flower, whose petals open one by one. But it will only grow in the mud. In order to grow and gain wisdom, first you must have the mud — the obstacles of life and its suffering. … The mud speaks of the common ground that humans share, no matter what our stations in life. … Whether we have it all or we have nothing, we are all faced with the same obstacles: sadness, loss, illness, dying and death. If we are to strive as human beings to gain more wisdom, more kindness and more compassion, we must have the intention to grow as a lotus and open each petal one by one. ” ―Goldie Hawn
Written by LISA MARINO-Molchanova 