Before the Black community knew that trauma, Depression, or anxiety had a name, there was an answer to all our problems: the answer was Jesus. Public tears were often mistaken for weakness. Silence was golden and a sure sign of [mandatory] resilience. People have taken family secrets and trauma to the grave because that’s what they did. It’s what we do. Generations of substance abuse and unexplained anger can be linked to unaddressed emotion or experiences.
Read MorePs. 90:12 “So teach us to number our days, That we may cultivate and bring to You a heart of wisdom.”
The first few times I read this scripture I took it to mean that we should remember our days are numbered-that we have a limited amount of time on Earth so with that we should inquire of God to teach us to be good stewards over our predesignated days. I have greater revelation since the death of a loved one. Numbering our days shouldn’t just remind us that we have a limited amount of time on Earth. It should inspire us to live to the best of our ability; we should make sure that our days are meaningful and fulfilled.
As I sat in the funeral I listened to their years of service.
Read MoreGet Out has been out for a minute now. So technically, this shouldn’t be considered a spoiler. One of the most discussed and intense scenes is when Chris unwillingly sinks into the floor. Once he falls into a dark and bottomless hole where he can no longer be seen or heard from by anyone, the hypnotist informs him that he is in the “sunken place.” Characters throughout the storyline function from the sunken place: their body image doesn’t change. They look to be the same despite their imprisonment.
I’ve heard many people respond to the scene in the movie with the phrase “that’s crazy!” What's crazier is the countless people with depression so severe that they're actively in the sunken place.
Read MoreDepression is something else! It's something that many people have wrestled with at some point. Either past or present. There are some who are unaware that they are or have been depressed. There are others who are in denial. I’ve heard some argue that they don’t get Depressed. My interpretation of such is that they may not necessarily know what they've experienced; however, I believe everyone encounters Depression at some point in their life. Depression tends to have a negative connotation within some cultures. Thus, some people are reluctant to share their experiences.
Read MoreI’ve always been better at expressing myself in written form. I’ve also always found comfort in writing my feelings; while my primary purpose is to encourage readers to consider the power of writing I have to throw a couple of things out there as there is a “pro” and “con” to nearly everything. The biggest “con” to keeping a journal is the possibility of a breach of confidentiality; as a child, I cringed at the thought of someone reading “my diary” with the mini padlock that anyone could pick with a hairpin. I still cringe at the thought as an adult. There is freedom when one can express their innermost thoughts and feelings without any inhibition; in fact, I don’t believe journaling can be 100% effective without “the nitty gritty.” It’s in these types of lines and writing that we are able to remove masks and lie back in honesty. Otherwise, we may as well continue walking around in hiding.
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