Thursday evening (we are still on the first week of June, so June 5), I headed down to Paula's house for the gathering of these women/fellow moms of loved ones with schizophrenia or other psychosis-related illnesses. (The ones who have formed Utah Shattering Silence Coalition.) We had finally met each other in person at the NAMI Walk in May and again on Monday at the Medicaid hearing we testified at, but this was the first time we sat down together in a social setting together. We are all very different from each other--different faiths, different careers, different families, but we share one HUGE life experience of parenting an adult child or working with a spouse in psychosis. It is a safe place to be with each other and we love it and each other in powerful ways. It reminds me why these connections are so important and makes me excited for the in-person parent group that we are going to start with Davis Behavioral Health. We need each other and we must lean in to render help and aid to others.
But for this night, we laughed and got to know each other in a more casual way. I know that these women were brought into my life for a reason. Obviously, we hope to make a difference in our state through advocacy, but I think there are greater reasons as well. Each of these women are powerful in their own ways and we can surely help each other personally, too.
So, thank you to Paula, Sherri, Angela, and Debra...and to Sheree who was there in spirit (she lives in New York.)!
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