Author: Jane Vos

Prologue:  What if…

    What if we could walk in this world, knowing that many folks are trying to function as best as

they can?  There are not enough  psychiatric hospitals in Michigan, not enough in

the  USA, and not enough  in the world.  Mental Illness is real.  It’s so real and prevalent we

want to deny it .But what if instead of denying it and/or thinking it’s the worst thing out there, we

saw it instead as a something  to steward, something  coming from the heavenly Father, the

Creator of the universe?  IT IS THAT.  And those who are given it (mental illness) are the

stewards of it; those who are the parents and legal guardians and the consumers themselves

are in a sense, stewards.  

    What is a steward?  In Pride and Prejudice, the steward was in charge of the estate, to make

an accounting of it, preserve it, and multiply it.  What if we saw ourselves in a like manner?  

Rather than be afraid and embarrassed, we accept it, embrace it, and face it head on?  We

glean insights and pass those on to others. We would see that not only is the best care given,

but we would choose to learn from the consumer so that insight and wisdom could be

gleaned and multiplied many times over.      

    What if we shed some of our judgmental attitudes and gave folks the benefit of the doubt and

encouraged him/her to just “be” , within the bounds of good morals? What if we encouraged

him/her to write the book or journal, to paint the art – however abstract or non realistic we may

think, to make music, to make pottery even if it’s not “perfect”, to sing new songs?

I’m not purporting chaos, but rather to foster an environment where one can make a piece of

art, a piece of pottery or sing a new song.  If someone with a mental illness, for example, was in

pottery class and he attended every class except when sick once or twice, did every written

assignment (none were ever returned with a grade, mind you, in the case I am familiar with), did

every pottery assignment and end up with a D, is that really legitimate? Maybe the strict criteria

should be forgotten for a moment.  Let the person peacefully and calmly try and create.  We

may be surprised at what comes out/is made.  If it’s a speech, forget the strict time limit.  If it’s

cooking, buy the ingredients even if we think they may not go together.  

LISTEN UP:  THERE ARE CREATIVE, INTELLIGENT FOLKS TRAPPED IN MINDS THAT

HAVE BEEN WIRED TO MISFIRE.  If we stigmatize and blame the person, we are in

essence BLAMING GOD.  God made this person in HIS image and

HE DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES. As author, Stephanie Hubach says, “Disability is a normal

part of life in an abnormal world.” He may have made this person with bipolar or schizophrenia

to help you, dear reader, yes you, the sibling or parent, friend or teacher to suck it up and grow

in character.  Did you ever consider that?  Like me, I thought I knew what love was, but I realize

it was a shallow and bare bones love.  It wasn’t until my family member was diagnosed that

flesh grew on the bareboned love and more of  hesed love developed.

    Mental Illness is a goldmine for figuring out how to really live.  The Proverbs is pertinent to

those with mental illness.  In fact, living with mental illness as a consumer or family member

makes the Proverbs come alive.  You see, Mental Illness helps us understand the Creator

God better.  Mental Illness is in a sense, an unseen disability (compared to a palsy or bodily

deformity, eg.) and it stretches us in ways we never thought possible; we grow in ways we

never thought possible.  If we see it as coming from God, as something to steward, this may

help us change our perspective.