It's Nice to Know People Care

I had a very humbling conversation with a friend this morning that i haven't seen in a long time and it's nice to know someone thinks i can make a difference...that my story and journey are important.

With that being said, I have been invited to give a 10 minute talk for Beacon of Hope in August and to have my poetry on display at their booth. My journey and poetry both are very personal and dear to me and knowing it has touched others to the degree that they want me to publicly talk about it and display my art is both humbling and validating to me.

I will admit that i am nervous and scared. It's one thing to hide behind my phone typing my blog and quite another to let everyone put a face to the name. It becomes real then...it leaves me open to judgement that people can point at and recognize. But it also gives me a chance to touch more lives and maybe be a voice that someone can relate to and realize they are not alone.

The stigma is slowly disappearing and is leaps and bounds from where it once was but sadly it still exists. There will always be those that fear what they don't understand and use it as an opportunity to be mean and callous. This is also an oppotunity to knock another brick from the wall and realize i have nothing to be embarrased about. That there is nothing wrong with me for having a mental illness. That my voice can be heard and those that truly care and wish for change Will see one more person willing to help make that possible.

I grasp how honored i should be for this opportunity and i hope i don't disappoint. All i can do is share my journey with bipolar and have this opportunity to stand tall and let people know I'm not ashamed of who i am. That in itself will benefit me far beyond what i feel I'll ever be able to do for others so i hope i do this justice. I hope that i can be a good advocate for hope and mental illness. I hope i can be a Beacon for Hope.

I'm not bipolar-I have bipolar
R. M. Sully