I turned into my parents' driveway in Maryland and parked the car. Before I could even step out and close the door, Mom flew out of the backyard, gesturing frantically.
"Your father had a breakdown," she blurted. "Your brother took him to the hospital. He's on the sixth floor. Go. Go. You need to go to him right now."
"Wait a second, Mom," I gently asserted. "What happened? What hospital?"
"He didn't eat anything, like he's supposed to. He started flailing himself around, threatening to kill himself. Your brother had to hold him down. Go."
"Okay, Mom." I squeezed her tight. "We'll take care of him."
I remembered earlier that morning how Dad disappeared from the kitchen. I sought him out to say goodbye and found him curled up in a fetal position on his bed.
"Hey, man," I razzed. "Taking a little nappy?"
"Yeah," he mumbled. "I'll be alright."
"Strange answer," I thought to myself as I gave him a kiss and left.
I found Dad on the sixth floor of the Medical Center, sitting in the corner with my brother, Laird. His seeing eye dog lay curled at his feet.
"Hey guys," I smiled. "What's the word?"
"I guess I got kinda' depressed," Dad confessed. "I forgot to put food in my system. I'm alright now."
I looked over at Laird, who shook his head-a telling communication. I'd hear the details later.
"My blood sugar must have really dropped," Dad added.
"Gotta' eat," I empathized.
Diabetes, selling a house, leaving the state of his ancestors after 69 years to move to Florida, learning to cope with blindness-any one of these might trigger a meltdown.
I knew my Dad would resist more than a trifling of professional help.
Too much shame.
Wait a second. Where did the judgment start? Who decreed our superhuman nature? What happened to compassion, for others and ourselves, the soulful cry that recognizes our humanity, faults and shortcomings included, weaknesses acknowledged, differences celebrated?
Does another person's struggle bring us down so much that we teach and preach denial as an alternative?
"Buck up. Tighten your chinstrap. Get a grip."
A grip on what?
We stuff emotions, squelch our feelings and put up false fronts of courage for the sake of appearances. We deny our right to sit with our own suffering and reflect, grieve or cut ourselves any slack.
Like a dormant volcano, our insides churn with prejudice and bias, slanted views painted by others, seldom questioned or examined.
Rampant dis-ease.
When the volcano blows the lava takes the form of cancer, heart attacks, depression and other illness.
What if we poked a few holes in that mountain of pride before it swelled to explosion?
What if we forgave and accepted, praised and lauded our crazy diversity?
Could we release the steam before it gushes and burns?
Try today, at least once to pick a moment and notice someone else's struggle-without mental commentary or your idea of a fix. Reach out without expectation.
Then do the same exercise on yourself.
You, too, deserve untainted appreciation.
Give yourself a break.
Thanks, Dad, for showing us your human side. It helps us love you even more.
That's A View From The Ridge?
About The Author
Author Ridgely Goldsborough invites you to subscribe to The Daily Column, a heart-felt collection of stories that inspire hope and courage. Please do so at www.aviewfromtheridge.com.
About 12.6 million Americans currently have heart disease.1.1 million Americans... Read More
Health food or heart attack on a plate? Eggs had... Read More
Dieters who dejectedly complain they are figuratively "stuck" with their... Read More
Since Dr Basant Puri, a consultant psychiatrist and senior lecturer... Read More
If you want to build muscle, lose body fat or... Read More
Almost every woman suffers with premenstrual syndrome at one time... Read More
Hi Readers,My message today is simple short and perhaps blunt... Read More
Fiber is the part of the plant that is resistant... Read More
Manganese is a metallic mineral that was discovered by a... Read More
BASIC MEAL & MENU PLANNINGAs a basis for meals and... Read More
You may have heard that essential fats are an important... Read More
Our diet is an essential factor for the formation of... Read More
What if I told you tap water and homogenized milk... Read More
The old clich? that you are what you eat is... Read More
The sugar industry and the food manufacturers are capitalizing BIG... Read More
Glucosamine is readily produced in the human body and is... Read More
I know you've heard this many times - "Drink more... Read More
New studies bring to our attention that high levels of... Read More
Although you may have heard about soy and all of... Read More
Coq10 is also known as Coenzyme Q10.This co q10 is... Read More
Omega-3 appear to reduce the risk of heart attack. A... Read More
The ingredients list found on the back or side panel... Read More
Coconut oil is less known compare to olive oil, corn... Read More
The cry of "I have no willpower!" often emerges from... Read More
I'm going to be a bit radical here, but know... Read More
Fad diets have been around for more than 50 years... Read More
The topic of nutrition is one that is always present... Read More
According to the Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis... Read More
Magnesium is an important mineral that serves numerous essential functions... Read More
We come from a society where growing organic and just... Read More
You are what you eat is a simple, time tested... Read More
The secret of success is knowing how to deal with... Read More
Many people complain that organic foods are more costly than... Read More
In a study review conducted by David A. Geier, B.A.... Read More
After WLS we must concentrate on eating nutrient rich food.... Read More
It is ironic how something as obvious as nutrition has... Read More
Can a child thrive on a vegan diet? The answer... Read More
Last year I had a number of clients who started... Read More
Please feel free to comment, so that the article may... Read More
An American culture that is marked by a chronic lack... Read More
Eating grain products - breads, cakes, cereals - have long... Read More
Do you notice your child putting off going to the... Read More
The field of nutrition is awash with charts, tables, diagrams,... Read More
Just as our country is currently engaged in a war... Read More
Nutrition usually only comes up when people are finally deciding... Read More
America's focus on nutritious eating began to receive national attention... Read More
You've no doubt heard the saying, "You are what you... Read More
The topic of food additives is not quickly addressed in... Read More
Constipation is the passing of dry, hard faeces fewer than... Read More
First of all you have to have a bucket. You... Read More
Nutrition |