Life Through Writing

Mental health is a funny thing. We live in a time when we're more open, more honest, more willing to learn and listen about people's experiences, but it's still not enough. There is still a massive stigma attached to talking about mental health, admitting that you have a problem; or, in my personal experience, disbelief that I could have a problem, because on the surface, I have everything that someone needs to be happy. So, it's easier to not saying about it. It's easier to let people believe and say whatever they want, because they don't want to be educated. They say they do, but as soon as you mention you struggle mentally, suddenly, you're someone they don't know. You're an alien. And, I've been guilty of this too, I have been guilty of treating people differently when I find out that they may be struggling. And that's difficult. It's difficult to know how to treat them, because the dynamic will change, there's no way to get ar

I have been in a long distance relationship for close to a year and a half. And recently I've been thinking about how the world sees long distance and what it's actually like. You may think that you understand long distance, but I can assure you, with as much respect that I can muster that you absolutely do not. The only people that understand long distance are the people that have done it. Long distance is in equal parts amazing and awful. There's something about long distance that can't be replicated in any other relationship, especially if you're with the right person. A long time ago, I was in another long distance relationship, and even though I thought I loved the person I was with, it didn't work. In my mind I had planned out possible routes that our future could head down. The problem? I was the only one thinking about it. Long distance is entirely contingent on both people being on the same page, if you aren't, then I'm sorry to say that you