To Tell the Whole Truth…?
What do you do when your truth doesn’t quite match up with someone else’s truth? Do you hide it? Be ashamed of it? Do you tell it anyway?
The other day I was recommended by a listener at one of my talks that I should be careful about sharing that I am currently no longer on prescription meds for my depression. She went on to describe that a friend of hers who was with her at the talk was deflated upon hearing at the end that I no longer take medication. As if all I shared about my story meant less because I no longer took meds. ‘As a medicated person’ she said, ‘you might keep that part private’
The whole truth is that there is no cure for chronic depression. The simple truth is that prescription medication saved my life. The courageous truth is that taking meds is no reflection on one’s character or a sign of weakness. The messy truth is that healing takes time and there are good moments and not so good moments. The honest truth is I may very well need to be on meds again and I am perfectly OK with that. The hopeful truth is that treatment is available in all its myriad forms. The naked truth is that I face the possibility of plunging into a depressive episode EVERYDAY with or without meds; I depend on my plethora of learned self-care skills, my newly rediscovered ability to laugh, my diet, my exercise, my eternal gratitude to God and my faith to stay in remission.
The plain old truth is there is ALWAYS hope and healing from depression is possible… no matter what it looks like.
Thanks be to God!
“And you will know the truth…and the truth shall set you free.” John 8:32
Greetings, FL Beth-Sarah! Thank you for your fluid and prolific expression of facets of truth. Words of wisdom to encourage us to be more compassionate and to stand in our truth.
Thank you Gloria. Our truth is what we have. Our truth is also our story and when we own our story and tell our story we get to write the ending!
Your narrative is a template that we each can use to explore our own multi-faceted story of Truth. Thank you for being centered and present.