I said a few days ago that I had just one more award to mention and that is the Courageous Confessionals Award which my friend Kina of Human In Recovery has presented me.
Kina created this award a while ago to honour the kinds of blogs she was reading, which offered a variety of styles and content, and spoke to her at a heart and soul level, those where the authors are taking a huge risk by sharing “their rawest, deepest, darkest, and most painful struggles and allowing the rest of us a chance to see what lies beneath. These are courageous people who are basically confessing their truest sense of self, whatever that means for them”.
To be included in those who have received this award is a great honour. Since I published my book three years ago, and my story became pretty much public knowledge, I have somehow tended to put aside the fact that what I share in my writing is pretty personal. It just is, for me and while there are obviously things I don’t share, particularly to protect other people, I strongly believe that being open and honest is my way of contributing towards getting mental illness spoken about in a more open way. It’s not right for everyone and I completely respect, that but it is right for me.
There are two pictures which go with this award, and I love them both so you get to see them both. There are also no requirements of things I must do or say. I like these ones. 😉
Thank you so much Kina for firstly creating this wonderful award and for considering me worthy of it. Your recognition of why efforts to be open and honest, with a purpose, make it worthwhile. Thanks.
One final note, that when I first read Kina’s post of my award, I mis-read the title of the award as the Confessional Blog Award. I thought, that’s funny that Kina has created an award just for Catholics. That led onto but I’m not Catholic. LOL. At which point I thought for a moment that I was a completely fraudulent awardee (I often feel like a fraud, that’s just life for me)… until I read the title a second time. The moral of the story? Read it properly the first time.
♦
“Life, she realized, so often became a determined, relentless avoidance of pain-of one’s own, of other people’s. But sometimes pain had to be acknowledged and even touched so that one could move into it and through it and past it. Or else be destroyed by it.”
Infinite Sadness... or hope? 
congrats!!
Thanks 🙂
That is quite the award! Congrats
It is, isn’t it? Thank you. 🙂
I believe so, yes. And quite deserved too 🙂
Hi,
Would you mind telling my your name. Any name to call you by would be ok – a pseudo-name is fine, if you don’t want to reveal your real one.
I suffer from bipolar illness to a great degree, and also have ulcerative colitis. Between these two, I have been unable to work for many years. I hate not being able to work. I feel like a pimple on the nose of society. I volunteer some because there’s not much pressure to perform the way it’s expected at a “real” job.
Anyway, I have a hard time coming out of the closet about my mental illness. Ever since that guy shot all those people in the movie theater, and they said it was because he was mentally ill, I’ve gone back into hiding this illness. Even though millions of bipolars take their meds seriously, and are very responsible for keeping themselves fit for society, it only takes one bad apple for the world to sit up and take notice. They say; “Those with mental illnesses are dangerous.” And the stigma continues. And I don’t know what to do about that.
love to you my friend,
robin claire
Hi Robin, My name is Cate. I’m sorry you are having such a difficult time with being able to be open about your illness and finding your place in society. Those are things I have struggled with too. In a society like the one we have right now it is very hard to feel as if we belong here, let alone to feel that it is okay for us to be who we are. Reading blogs is one way that I find helps me to do those things, because I have contact with so mnay people struggling with similar battles. The world kind of paints are picture that it is only us, but it’s not. I hope with time you can find that. Cate
Me too Cate, I’m pretty new to blogs and blogging – only a couple of months. I have to search around and find more people with mental illness who are as open about it as you are.
robin
Hi Robin, Welcome to the blogosphere. It’s a great place where there are a lot of people being open about mental illness. They are there. If you ever want some recommendations, just let me know. 🙂
I would love some recommendations for other bloggers with mental and addiction problems.