In reference to the classroom…
How Does It Know
While writing a birthday text to a friend, I went to type “Hope you’re doing well” but my word-predict wrote “Hope you’re doing nothing!”
As that is the internal hope I constantly have for myself.
#howdoesitknow 
Therapy
That moment when your therapist takes out her iPhone to check on the availability of a medication, but then leaves it in her hand, and you are 99% sure she is on her Tinder app for the remainder of your $300-per-hour session. Which is absurd.
Because HELLO?! TILT THE PHONE SO I CAN SEE!
#iwannaplay!
Us: “Does anyone know what a cassette tape is?”
ONE kid: “Oh! Oh! Yes!!”
Us: “Thank god.”
Kid: “My great grandma has one!”
Stand Off
Eric and I, discussing a possible trip to Asia and the risk of Zika virus, in terms of future pregnancy …
Eric: “Well, this is an awkward conversation to have at this point.”
Me: “I don’t feel awkward at all!”
Eric: “Oh.”
Eric: “Yeah me neither.”
Election Day
Kid: “My mom and dad are voting for Trump!”
Me: “Cool! That’s their right!”
And then I flunked him.
The Perils of Dating a Teacher
These are the kinds of stories you will hear if you make the mistake of asking your teacher significant other how her day is going.
Kudos to Eric for perfecting the art of pretending to care. He really did ask some stellar follow-up questions.
For the Loved Ones
This one goes out to the supportive loved ones of people who struggle with mental illness– friends, family, significant others– ALL of you who stick with us through the ups and downs.
We know we’re not always easy. But you love us anyway, listen when it must be unbearably hard to listen, and check in even when you know the response will not be positive.
And most important, you keep us laughing.
Thank you.
Everything is Subjective
Eric, bless his soul, offered to escort me on today’s walk/jog, as he could see, thanks to a current low-level bout with depression, I was struggling to get started.
Three minutes in…
Me <internally>: This fucking sucks. I hate that I can’t run. I hate that all I can get my body to do is this pathetic, sluggish, barely-trot.
Eric (bouncing along next to me, 100% genuine and full of enthusiasm): “Wait– isn’t this running?”
No.
Depression Is a Real Illness
Well-meaning friend, after reading about my current struggle with Depression :
“You’re depressed? But you have Eric now!”
Yeah, and you know what’s weird? Eric has me now, yet he STILL struggles with Diabetes!
Depression is a real illness.
And as with any real illness, love and support is undeniably helpful, but it is not a cure.
I think as soon as we stop thinking of Depression as something that can be fixed with a loving relationship, a fun night on the town, or a day in the sunshine, the sooner people will feel comfortable coming forward with their struggle and getting the actual help– the medical help– they need.
Let’s change the conversation.
And if you’re not sure how, start here.
Emily's Posts 