Sorry it's been so long

For the past 3 days I've been catching up on my sleep after mentoring a Peer to Peer class in Newton, MS, which is why I haven't posted. When I don't post something every day I have a feeling of loss, like an opportunity lost, as well as a bit of failure mixed in to top it all off. But this blog has become so close to my heart that I don't want my natural tendency to judge myself too harshly to overshadow that positivity I've gained from sharing my opinions! So I forgive myself for not posting in quite a few days, and will go easy on myself in the future when I need some time to let my mind relax when it doesn't feel quite like focusing on an opinion, etc. I tend to isolate myself for a couple of days after any significant sleep loss, but this isn't a sign of weakness or a warning sign for my illness. Quite the opposite, it is a coping mechanism that allows me to focus my energies on myself, reflect on what I've just experienced, and just get some unlimited sleep without a red-light-numbered alarm clock taunting me in the middle of the night, and waking me with a start while my newly-awakened mind throbs with its unnatural and damn-near offensive honking. This Peer to Peer was a pleasure, and I met some cool and interesting people with amazing stories of their own. It's the stories of my peers with mental illnesses that draw me in and enthrawl me, whether it be in a support group, Peer to Peer, or just hanging out with a friend. We have all been around the block, so to speak, some of us more than others, and we all have mind-boggling stories to share with whomever we trust to listen without judgement. Listening to these stories from people with histories so like my own often makes me laugh with understanding and acknowledgement, realizing experiences which I thought to be limited to myself are not just mine and mine alone. With that comes a sense of belonging and relief, and I see that, relatively speaking, I AM NORMAL! HA! Though I know a lady who proclaims, "Normal is just a setting on a dryer," and I'm inclined to agree.