I am sitting on a balcony overlooking the beach, and my mind is full. The crashing of the waves against the shore is comforting, but easy to tune out. I realize how privileged I am, sitting here with the ocean view, the beach beckoning. The water is murky, and I have seen so many horror movies about what lies beneath. I am afraid. I do not dare let the ocean cover my waist. I forget that I have the luxury of fearing the ocean. I take it for granted. I grew up with the freedom the beach afforded me, the power to run as far as my parents could still see me.
Many people have never seen the coast.
When I was a paraprofessional working in an elementary school, we took a field trip to the beach. Some of the kids had been to the beach several times, but others had never glimpsed the ocean, despite living so near the waves. No one had taken them to see one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. I watched their faces light up at the mere mention not only about a field trip, but finally visiting such uncharted territory. Those children opened my eyes, and I realized that though I am afraid of what lies beneath the surface, I am truly fearful of the unknown. A child learns to conquer the world with an open mind, unaware and excited to learn the truths of the world, good and bad. We can all learn from these little people. As we grow older, we experience trauma that closes our minds to opportunities, possibilities, and relationships. We do not trust the world as we did as children. The world is a scary place, full of the unknown, and I believe that the unknown scares everyone.
There is much to learn if only we open our minds and hearts to one another, living in harmony with the acknowledgment that the unknown is no longer scary when it is known. Mental illness may never be fully understood by society, individuals, or even the professionals. We must lose the stigma. We must take nothing for granted, and live life from day to day, as if it is our last. We must see the world through the the eyes of our children, knowing that if we create change, they will further the process of healing and unity between everyone suffering with mental illness, their loved ones, and the people who don’t even think it exists.
I am grateful to have such a wonderful vacation with my mom, but now, as I sit here comfortably, I think of others and hope that waves of change are on the horizon.
—SJB