Glimmer of Silver

But my desire to share this is more than just an opportunity for catharsis, although acknowledging the positive elements of my life so long ago and nearly forgotten is just that.  It is also a chance for me to share my thoughts on how certain advantaged dimensions of my upbringing saved my life and sanity, arguably more so than for some others for whom the mental illness of family members is an overarching life theme. It is possible to overcome, and thrive. Life is not always easy and there are times when rather than seeing the brighter side, people drown in their sorrows: “Why this, why me?” The only thing that kept me going over the years (well besides the fact that I felt I had no choice given my perception as being  the only person in my immediate family capable of being responsible for everyone else) was the positive side: “Whatever didn’t kill me, made me stronger.” It was a lot more difficult to acknowledge this while I was going through some of the more trying and devastating moments, but in retrospect it has become crystal clear. And I know it sounds cliché but once internalized, it was life changing. It gave me the confidence to believe, or rather know, that I can handle anything that comes my way in life. It made me look at others in my life who have had a smoother path thus far and empathize with the possibility that one day, they may experience something difficult that they are less equipped to handle than I would be. It could be something more or less traumatic than what I have dealt with in my life; being thrown a curveball without ever having played the sport is unimaginable to me; I am a seasoned athlete (in the figurative sense only, I assure you).  Everything is relative and for that I am thankful (now).