Monday, September 23, 2013

the most interesting conversation ...

... just took place in my house.

Oprah announced on television that she had nearly suffered from a nervous breakdown.  She was crazy busy, moving at top speed and things were just spinning out of control.

Rick said, "Well, she's obviously not a Christian."

"What?  Why do you say that?" I came back with.

"Well, she didn't need a doctor.  She just needed to pray.  Prayer could've gotten her right out of that."

I saw red.  RED!

True, I've never been in Oprah Winfrey's shoes but I have been in her place.  I didn't have nine projects in the works but I did have nine piles of laundry in a corner.  I had a full time job, I had a pile of paperwork to attend to, I had a million meals to cook, a house to clean, bills to pay, clothes to mend, a small child to take care of AND a disabled husband that needed constant care.

Come to think of it, I may've had more on my plate than Oprah.  But either way, she battled a breakdown and I battled it as well.  My world tried to spin out of control, too.

So... praying?  I tried that.  I couldn't get a single coherent thought to formulate, let alone a prayer to the Heavens.  Oh, I tried.  I definitely tried.  But everything was so disjointed and so mixed up... well, it was just a matter of time before that breakdown was a-comin'.  I honestly thought I was losing my mind.  I was that close.  I found myself crying all the time.

My heart goes out to Oprah.  I healed.  She is healing.  But it truly has nothing to do with her faith, her Christianity nor her beliefs.

I had to make Rick understand this before he came down too hard on her.  Sadly, he doesn't remember my illness.  Well, maybe that's good.  But honestly, he's the one that helped me get through it.  He simply looked at me (one day as I was sitting on the floor crying hysterically) and said, "You need professional help."  And I got it.  And I healed.  And I will never forget it.  And I completely forgive him for being the catalyst to all of my mental problems.

The only person that I will never forgive though?  Tom Cruise.  He said some pretty mean things about mental health and how something like a breakdown doesn't really exist.  Grrrrr.

But Oprah?  I wish her well.  Tom Cruise?  Your time may just be coming, too.  And then I'll wish you well, too.  But if you've ever been in Oprah's shoes?  Or mine?  I'd like to say this:

This too shall pass.  Take four weeks (I needed eight) and step out of your life.  Drop EVERY project, every task, every problem.  Let. It. Go.  Pamper yourself.  Be ONLY kind to yourself.  Take yourself to Disneyland, to the botanical gardens, out to lunch.  (All things that I did ... on the demand of my doctor.)  Get help, of course, but just know that you will recover.  I wasn't so sure back then.  But it does get better.  This too DOES pass.  I'm able to pray again, by the way.  That all came back together nicely.  Fortunately.

I'm loving life again.

Oprah will too, if she doesn't already.

Tom Cruise?  Not so sure.

.

5 comments:

Lisa Rausa said...

Love this

Karla said...

So glad you are doing better!

Unknown said...

And now on to many happy garage sale days ...

Unknown said...

(My comment sounds too flippant. I don't mean it to be that way)

- Kris - said...

No flippancy taken, Tam.