When I owned the motel/retreat center I witnessed a lot of stories. They checked in and out without much interaction. From afar I could see the histories and traumas. We all have them. Some folks handle things gentler while others bury them with anger and resentment. I was also blessed to hear their stories by the campfire or the pond. I was able to feel their joy and their losses. These are one of the most precious gifts I missed about having the center.

We arrive here by the grace of God. I also learned that those who endured the most atrocious of events had the deepest faith. Even if they hadn’t dealt with their illnesses, heartache or situations, they felt a higher power was helping them through the obstacles. They had learned to ask for help and pay it forward.

We have become a nation driven by fast-ass answers without real solutions. We band-aid everything and everyone quickly just to get to the next big thing.

We judge too harshly. We label too easily. We push away what we don't understand. There is an issue of rushing and not listening. There's an issue with criticizing and not waiting to understand. We do not want to deal with things so we put them in boxes... give out pills... and pray the problem doesn't return. We have a horrible handle on mental health.

So many times it's a spiritual, emotional and physical issue that has nothing to do with the projection at hand. It's not so much about mental illness or mental health but our reaction to it. Fear is our pitfall. Fear of what we can’t comprehend because it isn’t part of our reality.

THIS IS AN ISSUE OF HUMANITY and how short we are coming to our purpose here. Take time to stop and listen. It is an epidemic of horrific proportions. There are many who are sick. It’s growing by the years, especially after the pandemic in 2020. There are also many ways to help that this world refuses to address.

Sending out healing isn’t enough. Praying is only a tiny portion. We need to change the laws. We need to face the issues deeply, not superficial. We truly need to view the whole person and not parts. Everything is a part of the entirety. Let’s find a way to get there!

I, for one, recognize depression. I feel it in the cold months. My body and mind start to shut down and I have to work twice as hard to keep my mental health in a place that is healthy. But, I am aware of it. Others aren’t and they cannot get the help they need.

Hope this has allowed you to see things in a different light if you hadn’t thought about it. Take whatever resonates. I love you… Millie