You know how they say, "Make plans, and God laughs at you." Or something to the effect?
Well, I think he's upstairs saying, "Airplane, you're hilarious!"
In my last post, over a year ago, I made mention that I was dating someone. And, surprise! he's still around. I think he's the one. We aren't without our flaws, but somehow we fit perfectly together.
So, being the Type A planner that I am, I started planning.
In my head (and sometimes out loud) I had a schedule, and for the most part, things were working along on that schedule.
And then that proverbial rug got pulled out from underneath me.
What I haven't blogged about (well, besides everything for the last 15 months or so) is that Babe* has some mental health struggles. He's the most amazing man I've ever met, but he struggles with depression and sometimes it gets really bad and he begins to think that the world may be better off without him.
Trust me, it wouldn't be.
But the thing is, he's not alone. In 2015, suicide was the tenth leading cause of death overall in the United States, and there were twice as many suicides than homicides. In fact, men are 3.5 times more likely to commit suicide than women.
But no one is talking about it. If I told you that Babe had cancer, you would be immediately sympathetic to his cause. You would ask what his course of treatment would be. You would want to help. But if I tell you that he is trying to get better in a mental health institution, you would be more likely to change the subject. Or get uncomfortable with the topic. Or judge him.
To be honest, I don't think I fully understood the extent of the issue until I was in it. But, here I am.
I love a man who struggles with mental illness. And while my plan may be in tiny pieces scattered all over town, my love is working to get better, and I am right beside him.
