It occurred to Pooh and Piglet that they hadn't heard from Eeyore for several days, so they put on their hats and coats and trotted across the Hundred Acre Wood to Eeyore's stick house. Inside the house was Eeyore. "Hello Eeyore," said Pooh. "Hello Pooh. Hello Piglet," said Eeyore, in a glum sounding voice. “We just thought we'd check in on you," said Piglet, "because we hadn't heard from you, and so we wanted to know if you were okay."
Eeyore was silent for a moment. "Am I okay?" he asked, eventually. "Well, I don't know, to be honest. Are any of us really okay? That's what I ask myself. All I can tell you, Pooh and Piglet, is that right now I feel really rather sad, and alone, and not much fun to be around at all. Which is why I haven't bothered you. Because you wouldn't want to waste your time hanging out with someone who is sad, and alone, and not much fun to be around at all, would you now?"
Pooh looked at Piglet, and Piglet looked at Pooh, and they both sat down, one on either side of Eeyore in his stick house. Eeyore looked at them in surprise. "What are you doing?" "We're sitting here with you," said Pooh, "because we are your friends. And true friends don't care if someone is feeling sad, or alone, or not much fun to be around at all. True friends are there for you anyway. And so here we are." "Oh," said Eeyore. "Oh." And the three of them sat there in silence, and while Pooh and Piglet said nothing at all; somehow, almost imperceptibly, Eeyore started to feel a very tiny little bit better. Because Pooh and Piglet were there. No more; no less.
(Story and Photo Credit: A.A. Milne, E.H. Shepard)
Some days, I am a fearless warrior. Other days, I am a big hot mess. Most days, I am both. Regardless of the days, though, I am always tackling it, either way or both ways, by myself. I have had Poohs and Piglets before, but, due to many hardships over the years, I have buried myself so deep in my own One Hundred Acre Wood that they would not be able to find me. However, I know they are not looking for me anymore and I know the reason for that. I used to let them sit with me and I used to sit with them when they needed it. But, somehow, I got to the point where my burdens felt like they were too much to share and I retreated. I thought I was doing the right thing. I only wanted to weigh myself down and not them but, by not letting them be there for me, now I know that my actions also inadvertently caused me to not be there for them.
Mental health is a strange mixed bag. It’s filled with courage and fear. Confidence and self doubt. Hope and despair. Togetherness and isolation. We all have one, and, yet, we still choose to either show it, share it, hide it, or act like it’s not even there. My mixed bag is hidden in my One Hundred Acre Wood where it will never be found by anyone else but me. It is right next to my stick house where every stick that shelters me represents one heartache or another I have not dealt with properly. It’s a pretty big stick house.
I am currently facing another hardship, and, since it involves a loved one, I clearly know I cannot hide in my stick house this time. So, I am doing my very best to put the heartache it is causing me aside, and be the Pooh or Piglet this person needs right now. Although, everyday, I am fighting the urge to retreat back to the wood, make sure my bag is hidden, and add another stick to my house.
I realize, through supporting her right now, the importance of helping others to maintain their mental health, and, when you can’t do it alone, you need to let your Poohs and Piglets in to support you. If you can’t totally show or share with them your mixed bag, that’s okay. Just don’t hide it or act like it’s not even there. For now, simply allow them to find you, sit with you, and be there for you. No more, no less, until YOU are ready to knock down your stick house, leave your One Hundred Acre Wood, and take your mixed bag with you.
#mentalhealth #mixedbag #stickhouse #I'llsitwithyouandbeyourpoohorpiglet #friendship #fighttheurge #nomorenoless
