Frances and Gloria

[Guest guest]

Dear Frances and Gloria:

 

Thank you both for sharing your stories and giving hope. As many know

I have a daughter with mental illness....she has been diagnosed as

bi-polar with both anxiety and depression disorders.

 

Gloria, as you stated it can be hard "coming out of the closet" with

this stuff. As the parent I often run into the "what did you do as a

parent that she is so messed up" attitude and seldom do people realize

that I also have a son who has never had the difficulties of my

daughter. Vanessa's illness has had a huge effect on her whole

family and I doubt that she and her father will ever truly mend their

relationship. I go to great lengths to make her daughter aware of the

illness rather than letting her feel unloved or unwanted.

 

My point here is that none of this comes close to what my daughter has

been through and the meds have finally given her a chance to walk up

the mountain. Hearing from both of you gives me even greater hope

that Vanessa will one day come to peace and wisdom. Thank you.

 

Love,

Linda

[Guest guest]

Thanks to all who have testified

on this intimate and painful

matter. It can't have been easy.

 

There is a strong strain of what

amounts to neo-Puritanism in

"spiritual" circles that borders

on fanaticism in its stern

prejudice against anything not

found in nature or mentioned in

one ancient scripture or another.

I hope this sort of doctinaire

preaching doesn't prevent those

with serious mental problems (as

contrasted to the garden variety

suffering all flesh is heir to)

from seeking the increasingly

effective treatments available.

 

Some folks' pain doesn't respond

to vitamins, diets, herbs,

meditation, or counseling -- so

let's continue to try natural

remedies and explore traditional

treatments, but let's not close

the door to human inventions

that have proven more effective

than what nature supplies

directly or the palliative ideas

of the ancients in many

instances. One need not and

does not preclude the other

unless/until *we* decide that!

 

The New Testament reports that

Jesus advised us to "Render unto

Caesar the things which are

Caesar's." What this implies

here is that we should be

discerning about about using the

fruits of human enterprise,

choosing them when the clearest

perception we can muster reveals

that they are necessary and

appropriate given the situation

at hand.

 

Bless you for your honesty, and

for gracing this satsangha with

your sharing.

 

Much love -- Bruce

 

 

 

On Thu, 28 Jun 2001 20:01:01 -0400 "LC" <jyotish (AT) warwick (DOT) net> writes:

Dear Frances and Gloria:

 

Thank you both for sharing your stories and giving hope. As many know

I have a daughter with mental illness....she has been diagnosed as

bi-polar with both anxiety and depression disorders.

 

Gloria, as you stated it can be hard "coming out of the closet" with

this stuff. As the parent I often run into the "what did you do as a

parent that she is so messed up" attitude and seldom do people realize

that I also have a son who has never had the difficulties of my

daughter. Vanessa's illness has had a huge effect on her whole

family and I doubt that she and her father will ever truly mend their

relationship. I go to great lengths to make her daughter aware of the

illness rather than letting her feel unloved or unwanted.

 

My point here is that none of this comes close to what my daughter has

been through and the meds have finally given her a chance to walk up

the mountain. Hearing from both of you gives me even greater hope

that Vanessa will one day come to peace and wisdom. Thank you.

 

Love,

Linda

http://come.to/realizationhttp://www.atman.net/realizationhttp://www.users.uniserve.com/~samuel/brucemrg.htmhttp://www.users.uniserve.com/~samuel/brucsong.htm

[Guest guest]

Bless you Bruce,

Bless you everyone.

Love Wim

 

Bless you for your honesty, and

for gracing this satsangha with

your sharing.