The Young Woman and The Sea — A True Mental Health Story
What do you think of when you look at this photo of a bench by a body of water? How does it make you feel? It makes me take a deep breath. Relax. Reminisce.
There was a time when I thought of disappearing into the sea. It was in Palm Beach, Florida. I was drawn to the water as others ran for cover under the threat of an approaching hurricane. The pull was strong but gentle — an undercurrent dancing me away from the safety of the shore. The chaos of my life flooded my mind. My relationship was a shipwreck, my finances were buried with no treasure map, my career made me feel like a pirate pillaging my soul. I hadn’t handled any of it well. I was binging, purging, and packing on the pounds. I felt alone. Invisible. I was suffocating like a fish on the sand. The more I focused on my misery, the further the water carried me. Hope for a brighter tomorrow was fading. The ocean and escaping my worries were inviting.
As I looked towards the deeper water, I saw sun rays streaming through the storm clouds. It was majestic. That tiny action broke the trance. Thankfully, I snapped out of it before I did anything drastic.
