A prouder Canadian, I could not be
I wave the flag, in front of me
A liberal land, freely diverse
Varied languages to converse
Countless cultures of every race
Amicably exist in once place
Written by Happytiler
My vision has changed over the years. Thankfully I waste less time on petty annoyances. Now I have a mission. To speak of issues rarely touched. Mental illness is still not addressed as a prevalent societal problem. Articles written usually feature the most derelict schizophrenic, bipolar or psychopath. Yet they are covertly filtered into our everyday life.
Intruder
He was quiet, loved deeply
So I thought,
On occasion he would cry
About his childhood
Days off we sipped coffee
Seated on the chesterfield
Watching the birds flit
To the food in our feeder
We chatted of future dreams
Building a greenhouse
He taught me to ignore the bugs
And plant the flowers
We gardened together
We sat on our pristine deck
Barbequed breakfast
Pots of marigolds
like tiny oranges
Bloomed in droves
For a moment
It was our glorious
Sanctuary
Then one day
While sipping coffee
Watching the birds
We spotted a rat
Below the tree
Feasting on seeds
We removed the feeder
Knowing
It would never
Be the same again.
10 comments:
Happy Canada Day!!!!
People do not understand mental illness. Why must it always be someones "fault"?
The idea of BBQing bkfst sounds great! Bacon on the grill yea!!!
Maybe the birdfeeder could go out on a further limb. Damned rat!
Happy Canada Day sweetie!
My last was post is for a blog friend who just found out she has cancer. Two months ago her 30yr old bi-polar son killed himself. She is only 51 and single. So tragic! Mental illness is misunderstood.
Rats!
HUGS
As one who has been clinically depressed, I can say it isn't fun to not be who you know you are . . .usually. How sad for the young man and his parents. Heartbreaking really!
I love Canada too! I know, not many Americans say that. But, it true for me. I've had a lot of Canadian friends over the years. Each one was special.
Thanks for visiting my blog and revealing your identity - glad to know you.
Thought-provoking prose on mental illness. In an ideal world (and shouldn't we all be working towards that?!) early education on the subject would take some of the sting and stigma away and perhaps compassion and tolerance rather than scorn and harsh judgments would result.
Hope you find a way to enjoy your bird feeder again.
Cheers!
Happy Canada Day! I love Canada too!
Your tale is touching and tender. Thank you.
Thank you for the lovely comments on my blog...I truly appreciate them. Also, I loved the Inside Out quote you have with your brother...brothers are like that!! LOL
artfully Yours
Pattei
THis was great. The sad thing about mental illness is that mostly everyone will have some m-i problem in the their lifetime and 1 in 5 will have something serious. We have so much stigma that many people do not get help. Happy Canada Day!
I'm a day late but Happy Canada Day!
They call it mental "illness" but we treat it like something else. No one would think of treating a heart patient or someone with cancer in the terrible way we treat people with mental illnesses. Why is a problem with the brain any different than a problem with the heart or the lung or the leg?
For 25 years I've taught children and teens with mental illnesses and learning problems. It is heartbreaking to watch the pain they and their families experience and the lack of sensitivity with which they are often treated. Thank you for being an advocate. Many more are needed!
Happy Canada day Sherrie! loved both poems and your so right about mental illness. Why even insurance companies don't recognize how necessary it is to cover MENTAL health to insure a persons Physical health. I never understood why we can't have coverage for a psychologist?
We haven't even BEGUN to truly be an enlightened society, have we Sher?
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