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Sunday, December 26, 2010

Walking away from my car toward the RAHN holiday party, I tried to be optimistic about the situation into which I was about to willingly inject myself. As someone who had a rather cushy, sheltered upbringing, my experience with homelessness and mental disabilities would hardly be enough to impress anyone reading my life’s resume. We all have a tendency to fear the unknown from time to time, and the thought of spending the evening with a bunch of strangers who were probably more dissimilar than similar to me was a definite unknown right then.

As I walked into the building, I was greeted with a hug from a consumer I’d met briefly just days before, and relaxed a little as I talked with other consumers I’d had yet to meet. The party continued as a hot meal was served and small gifts were given. I’m not really sure what my expectations for the evening were, but I don’t think I was expecting to genuinely enjoy myself while connecting with so-called “crazies” on a deeper level.

Due to my ever-present curiosity and interest in people (or what may be called nosiness by some), I kept finding myself wanting to know what mental illness or misfortune had brought each one of my new friends to RAHN. Then it occurred to me: did it really matter? As long as we’re all humans, why should our different backgrounds or states-of-being get in the way of our ability to laugh or cry with one another?

Maybe I’m slow to come to this realization, but reducing people to the state of their living situation or mental health does nothing but hurt all parties involved. Those who cast judgment by labeling others not only miss out on the opportunity to make a new friend, but also further limit their view of the world and all those it holds. Those who are labeled may miss out on the things that most people probably take for granted, like love, acceptance and the right to be given a fair chance in society. Funny how love is blind and ignorance is blinding.

I was one of the last ones to leave the celebration. Later, some people would praise me for giving up an evening to go hang out with the town crazies, as if I were doing some sort of volunteer or charity work. But in many respects, I was just at another party with any other group of people—nothing outlandish or irregular about it. Hours after I first arrived, I was greeted by a chilly darkness as I opened the door of Suite D at 1009 New Hampshire St. to walk back to my car. Coatless, I hugged myself and stepped out into the night, grateful for the unknown.

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The Recovery and Hope Network (RAHN) is a small yet wildly successful local nonprofit serving people with severe and persistent mental illness in Douglas County. Written by members and staff of RAHN (it’s pronounced “rain”), the purpose of this blog – Flying Over The Cuckoo’s Nest – is to educate people about mental illness and the possibility of recovery, to reduce fear and stigma, and to reach out to those in need and their families and friends, neighbors and coworkers.

1009 New Hampshire, Suites C & D
Lawrence, KS 66044

Tel: 785-856-1222
Email: info@recoveryandhope.org
Website: http://recoveryandhope.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Recovery-and-Hope-Network-RAHN/114529948569741
Blog:: http://www2.ljworld.com/weblogs/flying-over-the-cuckoos-nest/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~