Paying it Forward

I'm not sure if each of the bloggers I follow has seen the movie "Pay it Forward". The basic premise is someone does something that lifts your life up and then it is your responsibility to do something to lift the lives of three other people. Then those three people do something to help three others ad infinitum. I like that idea.

I was thinking this morning about each of the blogs I follow and how important they are to me in so many ways. I would like to share some of my personal feelings about some of the blogs I follow. I can't write about all of them today, but I will try to do a few each week or so. I will start with three today:

1. Letters from the Sanitarium

The predecessor of this blog was titled "Genius of Insanity" (GOI). It was a mixture of political discussion, disccussions about mental health and comments about life in general. The author, Handsome B. Wonderful, AKA James, then split the blog in two: one focusing on politics...now titled: "The Political Junkie", and the other "Letters from the Sanitarium"(LFS). GOI was the first blog I ever read. It was James' blog that inspired me to start a blog of my own.

In Letters from the Sanitarium, James (HBW) writes in a way that makes me want to change the world, accept and sometimes change myself, and challenge the way our societies treat people with mental illnesses. It provides me insight into my own depression, and insight into his disorder: Schizoaffective Disorder.

His writing often reflects or mirrors the way I feel about many things. He is so open about himself and his struggles. It is like sitting in therapy with him. This often helps me recognize my own negative thought patterns. In his writing you can see a man with a sensitive and kind heart, a man who wants to make a difference in the world.

He also writes a beautiful blog about Buddhism, called "The Buddhist Blog" . It is full of anecdotes, conversations, quotations and ideas from a Buddhist perspective. It is gorgeous, eye opening and full of spirituality.

James....you make a difference in my world everytime you post. Thanks.

2. Jcat and the Big Bad Wolf

I met Jcat through comments she made on my blog almost two years ago now. Her and I seemed to struggle with the same chronic depression. I would read her writing and it was proof positive that this was an illness, and it wasn't our fault for being like this.

Jcat is a remarkable woman who, despite her depression, does tons of work for wildlife rehabilitation facilities and works at another job as well. She has a killer sense of humour and clear insight into herself.

Thankfully she has seen some relief from her depression in recent months...I will let her blog explain that:>). I love how honest she is about everything. Her blog is a lesson in not editing yourself; in being who you are at any given moment. Thanks Jcat for helping me learn those lessons and more.

3. The Polar Bear Blog

Polar Bear is a person who struggles and battles with Borderline Personality Disorder. Her blog is passionate, heartfelt and poetic. In reading her blog you not only get a great sense of how difficult it is to live with BPD, but also how a person is often made stronger by their demons.

PB amazes me with her ability to work while desperately ill, with her openness and honesty about what it is like to have BPD, and with her poetic descriptions of living life with this disorder. Her blog is often intensely sad to read, but also many days it is full of hope and a strong will to conquer whatever is thrown at her. You give me hope Polar Bear. Thanks.