Empathy refers to “feeling with” another person. “Feeling
with” for who you were—who you can become again, but better (due to your
intervening experiences and learning.)
But the person you were (before your mental health symptoms
became bothersome) and the person you will be (once you mature into recovery,) these
are both “another person” in comparison to the you who is before your mind
right now. Empathy for our past and
future self is not self-pity.
It would be self-pity to decide that, because you cannot
achieve today what you planned
to achieve yesterday, before your mental health symptoms began, that you never
will be able to actualize yourself, to be all that you can be.
“Patience for patients” is what I so often advise. You will mature out of the worst of your symptoms. You will
have another chance to use your special gifts.
Our skin protects the organs of our bodies from direct
interaction with the world around us. Our human skin grows as we grow. Like a
snake shedding its skin, sloughing or molding It off in one piece, human beings
rid themselves of old skin—but in us, it is gradual, yet it is always happening.
We lose 30,000-40,000 skin cells hourly! Dust mites eat the cells, and we
notice the total debris as dust that we need to clean out of our houses.
In the same way that your skin renews itself, your brain
will as well.
Just give time its chance to heal.
© Deborahmichelle Sanders 2018. All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment