1. Is it more important to love or be loved? To love.
2. If you had the chance to go back in time and change one thing would you do it? I would have divorced much sooner and moved.
3. If a doctor gave you five years to live, what would you try to accomplish? I'd try to make the time I had left with my immediate family more meaningful.
4. What is the difference between innocence and ignorance? Innocence means purity. Ignorance is knowing, but deliberately ignoring facts, rules.
5. What is the simplest truth you can express in words? Love of family. (For me, my immediate family.)
6. What gives your life meaning? See #5
7. Can there be happiness without sadness? Pleasure without pain? Peace without war? I would say no to all. How can you know what happiness is without feeling sadness? It would all be “sameness”. How can you know what pleasure is never having felt pain? Pleasure would just be your “normal”. How can you know peace without war, because, again, it would just be your “normal”, not knowing of anything else.
8. What’s the one thing you’d like others to remember about you at the end of your life? That in spite of all the hardships, difficulties, and really bad times, I held myself up and did the best I could to raise my children and help my children to be the most that they can be. Raising 2 children with mental illnesses is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Trying to put on that happy Mom face when you visit them in the hospital and when they are catatonic, not seeing you or the world around you, and seemingly not hearing anything. They might see and hear a little of what you do and say, but they do KNOW you are there, so you have to be upbeat and loving, and JUST. BE. THERE. How do I know? I’ve spent an incredible amount of time in pediatric psychiatric wards to see the other children with similar conditions whose family just isn’t there. It make a tremendous difference.
9. Is there such a thing as perfect? No.
10. What do you love most about yourself? That through it all I have maintained my wit and sense of humor. And been able to...mostly...keep myself together.
11. Is it more important to do what you love or to love what you are doing? To love what you are doing, no matter what it is. I started out my first job was working at a gas station while I paid for college on my own. It was a smelly job that was too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter in that little kiosk. I loved it. The people I worked for were wonderful, like family. Working there gave me time to do my homework at work and it paid my community college tuition. It helped me reach my goal of getting my degree and getting a job in my field. Some people may look down on me for having worked at a gas station, that’s their problem because it helped me accomplish my goals. What other job let’s you do your homework during the slow periods with no customers?
12. What do you imagine yourself doing ten years from now? Enjoying retirement.
13. What small act of kindness were you once shown that you will never forget? I’ve mentioned this story many times, but it was a kindness I will never forget. Christmas in the ‘60’s my neighbors collected money and surprised my Mom and sister with boxes of food and gifts while my Dad was in the hospital for months recovering from back surgeries. Back then they probably collected a lot less than $100 amongst all the neighbors. That helped my family get through a hard time and every time I think about it, it makes me think how wonderful communities were back then and how I wish things were like that now.
14. To what degree have you controlled the course your life has taken? I try to make the best decisions I can for my family. Like it or not, I’m the Captain of this ship.
15. If you looked into the heart of your enemy, what do you think you would find that is different from what is in your own heart? Who is MY enemy? I know I’ve had some in the past, but I don’t really feel like I have any right now. The only enemies I see are global enemies. As far as global enemies go, I think what’s in their hearts are directly what drives their actions. I think in many instances when you think about global enemies, things like greed and power come to mind. I don’t think I am greedy. I would like to be released from all the financial pressures I am under. I don’t need to live in a mansion with servants and the like. I like my modest home. As far as power? I would tend to agree that I like to be the one in power, in control of things. I think having 1 person generally control things helps provide stability. Yes, teamwork can do that, but ultimately someone has to reign it all in, especially when you have young adult children with mental illnesses.
2. If you had the chance to go back in time and change one thing would you do it? I would have divorced much sooner and moved.
3. If a doctor gave you five years to live, what would you try to accomplish? I'd try to make the time I had left with my immediate family more meaningful.
4. What is the difference between innocence and ignorance? Innocence means purity. Ignorance is knowing, but deliberately ignoring facts, rules.
5. What is the simplest truth you can express in words? Love of family. (For me, my immediate family.)
6. What gives your life meaning? See #5
7. Can there be happiness without sadness? Pleasure without pain? Peace without war? I would say no to all. How can you know what happiness is without feeling sadness? It would all be “sameness”. How can you know what pleasure is never having felt pain? Pleasure would just be your “normal”. How can you know peace without war, because, again, it would just be your “normal”, not knowing of anything else.
8. What’s the one thing you’d like others to remember about you at the end of your life? That in spite of all the hardships, difficulties, and really bad times, I held myself up and did the best I could to raise my children and help my children to be the most that they can be. Raising 2 children with mental illnesses is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Trying to put on that happy Mom face when you visit them in the hospital and when they are catatonic, not seeing you or the world around you, and seemingly not hearing anything. They might see and hear a little of what you do and say, but they do KNOW you are there, so you have to be upbeat and loving, and JUST. BE. THERE. How do I know? I’ve spent an incredible amount of time in pediatric psychiatric wards to see the other children with similar conditions whose family just isn’t there. It make a tremendous difference.
9. Is there such a thing as perfect? No.
10. What do you love most about yourself? That through it all I have maintained my wit and sense of humor. And been able to...mostly...keep myself together.
11. Is it more important to do what you love or to love what you are doing? To love what you are doing, no matter what it is. I started out my first job was working at a gas station while I paid for college on my own. It was a smelly job that was too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter in that little kiosk. I loved it. The people I worked for were wonderful, like family. Working there gave me time to do my homework at work and it paid my community college tuition. It helped me reach my goal of getting my degree and getting a job in my field. Some people may look down on me for having worked at a gas station, that’s their problem because it helped me accomplish my goals. What other job let’s you do your homework during the slow periods with no customers?
12. What do you imagine yourself doing ten years from now? Enjoying retirement.
13. What small act of kindness were you once shown that you will never forget? I’ve mentioned this story many times, but it was a kindness I will never forget. Christmas in the ‘60’s my neighbors collected money and surprised my Mom and sister with boxes of food and gifts while my Dad was in the hospital for months recovering from back surgeries. Back then they probably collected a lot less than $100 amongst all the neighbors. That helped my family get through a hard time and every time I think about it, it makes me think how wonderful communities were back then and how I wish things were like that now.
14. To what degree have you controlled the course your life has taken? I try to make the best decisions I can for my family. Like it or not, I’m the Captain of this ship.
15. If you looked into the heart of your enemy, what do you think you would find that is different from what is in your own heart? Who is MY enemy? I know I’ve had some in the past, but I don’t really feel like I have any right now. The only enemies I see are global enemies. As far as global enemies go, I think what’s in their hearts are directly what drives their actions. I think in many instances when you think about global enemies, things like greed and power come to mind. I don’t think I am greedy. I would like to be released from all the financial pressures I am under. I don’t need to live in a mansion with servants and the like. I like my modest home. As far as power? I would tend to agree that I like to be the one in power, in control of things. I think having 1 person generally control things helps provide stability. Yes, teamwork can do that, but ultimately someone has to reign it all in, especially when you have young adult children with mental illnesses.
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