p5. The “Secret” Education Continues
Da is currently boarding in a court appointed Detox Center. She has made it for seven, going on eight weeks in a boarding facility this time. If she is sent away - “not ready for the boarding experience” – this time she will be sentenced to jail. I think it is doubtful she will have the opportunity to room with Martha Stewart, which is a shame, because at least she could have learned some applicable skills other than keeping herself safe and alive.
I mention this because today I had a hair appointment downtown. This weekend just happened to be the busiest for events in the city of the year, actually in our history. Because of this I was concerned about parking and decided I best leave suburbia early to look for a spot. This didn’t turn out to be a problem since the battery in my car had died.
My husband was nice enough to drive me down, but I left the salon with a bus schedule and a note from the receptionist telling me where to walk to the relocated bus stop. It has been many years since I commuted with the metro. As my career grew, my hours were so unpredictable it was not an option for me.
Once I found the stop with all the inner city bus riders waiting, I assured myself this was still an OK thing to do – meaning my station in life had really not rose above a bus ride, and I would be too cheap to spring for the $20.00 plus taxi fare anyway. So after a guy tired to sell me a watch and I checked the posted sign for the 10th time to make sure I was in the right place, my bus arrived and I was prepared for the long ride that took you pretty much everywhere before heading out of the city.
Wow, such a long story to make a small poignant point.
Before I knew it we were driving past my daughter’s new boarding facility, and I was searching for a peek of her through the small slatted windows. Just think of me riding a bus, questioning my bus-ability compared to the daily riders, then realizing not many – if any of them – had children confined to this correctional treatment center.
Go figure, life is funny…
When you have a child with a mental illness, you learn to remain humble and empathetic of others, because if you don’t you are reminded. For many families the hardest thing to learn is; the fact that mental illness within the family is not shameful, nor it something to keep hidden. To keep it a secret is so damaging to the child/person and all others involved.
I mention this because today I had a hair appointment downtown. This weekend just happened to be the busiest for events in the city of the year, actually in our history. Because of this I was concerned about parking and decided I best leave suburbia early to look for a spot. This didn’t turn out to be a problem since the battery in my car had died.
My husband was nice enough to drive me down, but I left the salon with a bus schedule and a note from the receptionist telling me where to walk to the relocated bus stop. It has been many years since I commuted with the metro. As my career grew, my hours were so unpredictable it was not an option for me.
Once I found the stop with all the inner city bus riders waiting, I assured myself this was still an OK thing to do – meaning my station in life had really not rose above a bus ride, and I would be too cheap to spring for the $20.00 plus taxi fare anyway. So after a guy tired to sell me a watch and I checked the posted sign for the 10th time to make sure I was in the right place, my bus arrived and I was prepared for the long ride that took you pretty much everywhere before heading out of the city.
Wow, such a long story to make a small poignant point.
Before I knew it we were driving past my daughter’s new boarding facility, and I was searching for a peek of her through the small slatted windows. Just think of me riding a bus, questioning my bus-ability compared to the daily riders, then realizing not many – if any of them – had children confined to this correctional treatment center.
Go figure, life is funny…
When you have a child with a mental illness, you learn to remain humble and empathetic of others, because if you don’t you are reminded. For many families the hardest thing to learn is; the fact that mental illness within the family is not shameful, nor it something to keep hidden. To keep it a secret is so damaging to the child/person and all others involved.
posted by ewschott at Sunday, September 19, 2004
1 Comments:
You are such a brave and courageous woman B.
::hugs::
~H
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