I have asked myself multiple times over the last decade whether I can navigate all of -this-... just as I am. Can I show up... like -this- and still somehow succeed? I still don't have the answer yet. But this recent experience with you all showed me that maybe... maybe it's possible.
My fear: having meltdowns in public, before strangers. Having my mental illnesses rear their heads and drive me mad close enough to others to have it impact them.
It's one thing to TELL people about it all. It's another for them to see it. To feel it.
It was, really, just the tip of the iceberg... but still. You all saw me crumble. And you all wrapped me in kindness and understanding. It felt like maybe... maybe people like me don't have to hide in the shadows all the time, afraid of the possibility that others might catch a glimpse of the monsters. 💜
