Wednesday, April 25, 2012

a skirted topic (part 2)

i wrote about depression here on sunday. this is the second piece, in which i give a little history

i spent most of my sixth grade year
with a snarl of disgust
painted on my face
finding little pleasure
in life
one of my teachers noticed
and
pulled me into the hall
to talk about my attitude
and
what could be wrong
i
had
no
idea
but i eventually felt like me again
i remember the day my
ballet teacher opened her arms
and hugged me. hard.
she saw the question on my face
and said
you just smiled for the first time in a year
and then the time in college
and then the time as a first-year teacher
and then the time when i was thirty
with a husband, two small children, a job
and
there was my nurse-friend saying
you don't have to live like this
as she handed me the phone, already dialed
in to my doctor
these teachers, this friend?
god-sent and beautiful and not thanked enough

have you had those god-sent people helping you in a blind time?

linking with -

lori for word filled wednesday
emily for imperfect prose
jen for god bumps
joy for life:unmasked

10 comments:

  1. I could probably think of one. I LOVE YOU <3

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  2. smiles...it is a beautiful thing when you find them...and to have them in your life...

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  3. Oh, yes. I have them. The "no matter what" friend and also the one who dives into my pit and pulls me out by my hair. What amazing gifts from our Father. Thank you for sharing, Kendal.

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  4. I so appreciate your honesty, Kendal. One of my sisters suffers with depression often. I want to be one of those God-sent people to her; she has been to me.

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  5. "Hope is the thing with feathers. That perches in the soul" (emily dickinson) and these people you mention are the bringers of hope to those of lost in despair. The greatest opportunity I have had to to serve as a bringer of hope. Once you have received it you, you must pass it on.
    Well done.

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  6. Hey Kendall, I love your posts. I wanted to invite you to check out my new blog. http://elaine-forthedisplayofhissplendor.blogspot.com/ I hope you are doing well. God bless!!

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  7. Thank you so much Kendal for your willingness to speak on the hard things! I think so often people don't know what to do with depression so they avoid the subject. Praise God for so many loving voices in your life! Thank so so so much for sharing. You write beautifully!

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  8. oh friend. yes, i have these friends. and i have this imperfect community, with people like you, that lift me up in ways i would never have before imagined... a virtual God reaching through screens and making joy unaware. bless you friend. love you.

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  9. Yeay for finding you! I have had many of those to help, encourage, and even speak truth to me when it was not the safest thing to do.

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  10. Oh friend. This is really something. You've painted a picture of grace here, the persistence of this God who is pursuing us and loving us and caring for us, all the days of our lives.

    Your words are a gift.

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