"I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost The decision to make this blog solidified on the day I went to visit one of my heroes while also facing some demons in the process. Walking the halls of the high school where I'd been bullied mercilessly fifteen years previously was mildly traumatic at first, but the more I interacted with the new staff and students, the more relaxed I became, and the more I realized how much things had changed for the better. I saw my freshman English teacher before she saw me, and the scene was a familiar one: she was cracking down on a student who needed to get his act together, outlining what needed to get done in the paper he was working on. I fondly recall having to write a paper for her three times before getting it just right (believe me when I say that only the memory is fond - at the time, I was tearing my hair out), so the whole thing was rather nostalgic. And then I got to give one of my heroes a huge hug after not having seen her for fifteen years. For anonymity's sake, let's call her Mrs. Calliope, for the Greek muse of epic poetry (because it's relevant to the story and because "Mnemosyne" is a mouthful even for me). We caught up on times past, and I filled her in on what had happened since I dropped out of high school. I went on to get my GED, then Associate's, then Bachelor's, then Graduate Diploma/Master's. Mrs. C connected me with an old friend of hers who works in my field of study, which has since led to some amazing meetings and conversations. Mrs. C also told me about how mental health in school was finally becoming a priority (unlike during my short time there) and kids were getting the help they needed. I brought her a continuation of an assignment I'd written for her (there's more to this story, I promise), and she loved my developed writing style. Mrs. C was the first person to really hear my story in my own words, so she understood how much writing meant - and still means - to me and how it was an outlet for the tough times. As I was telling her about my healing process and how I wanted to help others, she said, "You should write a blog." It was something that had already been on my mind for a while. The journey I took from adolescence to adulthood was so far off the beaten path that I needed to hack through it with a machete. But Robert Frost is correct in saying that taking the less-traveled road makes all the difference. More often than not, I've found myself in a position to help people - sometimes complete strangers - because of my out-there experiences on the road not usually taken. And most importantly, to paraphrase a middle school teacher I ran into, I want to "be the person I needed when I was a teenager." What really, really settled my resolve was a message I got from a friend a few days after my visit with Mrs. C. My friend told me that reading my open and honest (sometimes brutally so) Facebook posts had helped her realize that it's ok to need help sometimes, and getting that help isn't a weakness. So now, after spending literal weeks gathering up the courage to make this first post, I present to you Mapping the Road Not Taken. Here I will share experiences and lessons learned that will hopefully help others in their own journeys. Some of the topics I'll be covering are: Finding Your Way, Not Everyone Else's I mentioned earlier that I dropped out of high school. Dropping out has a loooong history of being stigmatized, but honestly? It was one of the best things I ever did for myself. And my way may not be your way (a phrase that goes for all the topics I'll be covering), but maybe reading about my way will help you find or make yours. Mental Health This is important for everyone, not just people who have been officially diagnosed with something. A lot of people don't realize how many environmental factors go into mental health and that there are a lot of things we can do to pick ourselves up. Asking for Help It's a good thing to do, I promise. But it is tough. Dealing with
Finding Your Passion(s) and Inspiration(s) We all have at least one thing that keeps us going even when it feels like the world is crashing down around us. These are a lot more important than you'd think, and you never know which passions will give you a leg-up in the future. Finding Your Heroes A hero isn't always a famous figure (though a few of my heroes are). More often than not, they're just extraordinary people doing extraordinary things in an ordinary world. Mrs. C is one of many heroes who have helped me get where I am today, and I want to tell more stories about her and the others who have kept me going. Coming Out (Or Not) As if trying to navigate adolescence's many trials and tribulations isn't difficult enough, trying to do so while accepting your identity is treacherous journey that would make Odysseus feel downright blessed. Thankfully, representation and LGBT+ rights have improved drastically in the past few decades, so there are far more resources than there used to be. Depending on how this topic is received, I may include posts about crushes and dating. (As an interesting/amusing side note, Mrs. C read the first story I ever wrote trying to come to terms with my sexuality. It happened to be in the same notebook as another story I wanted her opinion on. Oops?) Self-Reliance, Self-Awareness, and Self-Acceptance It's a trial that no one ever escapes unscathed, but I'm definitely the better for it. I also had lots of help along the way, 'cause even though the hardest part is up to you, that doesn't mean you can't have people on your side. I'll be sharing this as far and wide as I can with the intent of reaching as many people as I can. I encourage those who read this to comment with thoughts, suggestions, and even your own stories, should you feel so inclined. I don't have a posting schedule sorted yet, but I've got enough topic ideas to last a good while, so I'll at least attempt to get something up once a week. Until then, I welcome you to this adventure with my favorite words from Shel Silverstein: If you are a dreamer, come in.
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer . . . If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire, For we have some flax golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!
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AuthorA strange little girl who's great with typing but not with speaking. Archives
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