humanity
Mental health is a fundamental right; the future of humanity depends on it.
Four
THE INDIVIDUALIST: Sensitive and withdrawn. Expressive, dramatic - self-absorbed and temperamental I desperately wanted to paint my individuality into one giant blank canvas. I would add deep splashes of indigo, vibrant hues of crimson, streaks of emerald, washes of yellow, smears of faded white, and intricate swirls of violet. I wanted to etch my elysian soul into every stroke of the brush and give physical form to my idiosyncratic worth. I even wanted to capture every smudged blemish, as if imperfection could give way to surreal divinity. Only I would be qualified to capture and unravel it all. If I were to be called an artist, then surely my very soul would be my greatest masterpiece. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I believed that I was worth a thousand more. I chose to believe that. So, I raised my paint splattered hand to the easel with sanguine determination, but inevitably felt paralyzed as I didn’t even know how to begin. It was almost poetically tragic how still my hand became.
By Kaitlin Christensen5 years ago in Psyche
Five
THE INVESTIGATOR: Intense and Cerebral. Perceptive, innovative - secretive and isolated Just give me a moment. I’ll understand within time. I’ll add each new token I discover from my quandary into carefully labeled collections that are organized safely in my mind. I’ll admit, this conundrum you’ve placed before me is quite the challenge, but everything in this world and beyond is meant to be understood at some point or another. Even me. One day, I’ll be able to identify every individual particle that defines my existence well enough to explain it to you in detail. I know it’s just a matter of time. So, I’ll take my time. I’ll listen to the sound of the wind along with my heartbeat as carefully as an intricate rhapsody, and I’ll learn how to create a melody of my own. If I can learn how this great environmental conglomerate functions together, then certainly I’ll be able to figure out my perfect place within it.
By Kaitlin Christensen5 years ago in Psyche
Three
THE ACHIEVER: Success-oriented and pragmatic. Adaptive, excelling - driving and image-conscious I believed that it was my purpose to evolve. I would fit your expectations. I would prove to the world that the best of the best was attainable. At least, it was for me. So honestly, I felt perfectly comfortable under your conditional spotlight as if it was the only place I was truly designed to be. Your admiration was everything to me in that moment. Everything. I trusted that this stage was designed for me and my shoes were rooted confidently on the wooden platform. I was confident, if not anxious and worn thin. The only unfortunate thing was that I forgot the title of the play I was performing somewhere in between the endless cues and curtain calls. My lines were near perfect, but my sense of familiarity was somehow missing. What was my role again? What was it that I wanted to say? The thought was somehow uncomfortable. In reality, I had abandoned my wavering heart somewhere behind a parade mask of selected highlights before I even had the time to consider why.
By Kaitlin Christensen5 years ago in Psyche
Two
THE HELPER: Caring and Interpersonal. Demonstrative, generous - people-pleasing and possessive You need me, right? Surely that wasn’t a lie I conjured from my own imagination. I can see it in your eyes. You need help just as much as everyone else in this world. So please, rely on me. It’s okay. I’m here for you and always will be. Please, understand that there is no reason to shy away like that. You’re beautiful. You’re incredible. You’re valued. You’re everything. I’ll love every piece of you. Every single crevice. I promise. It won’t be hard. You’re everything to me. Once you believe that I mean those words sincerely, there won’t be anything left to fear.
By Kaitlin Christensen5 years ago in Psyche
On Fear and Suffering
Author's preface: Special thanks to writing colleague Samantha Drobac for inspiring this post with some questions she posed in response to two recent articles addressing the twin topics of fear and suffering. You can find more of her writings at my former home on Medium.com here. Also check out her fantastic publication on Medium No Echo which can be found here. She is credited with the "Q's" and "A-SD's" in the below. Sam's full piece where these questions and her answers first appeared can be found here.
By Everyday Junglist5 years ago in Psyche
I Would Never
Have you ever done something out of character? Something you never thought you would do? I don’t mean rock climbing or taking a cooking class. I mean done something so heinous you no longer recognize yourself. The devil staring back when you look in the mirror.
By Patrick Finney5 years ago in Psyche
Purgatory
It was too quiet, even for the trees. I could feel the wind breeze past the edge of my shoulders, but it did not seem to shake the grass. Nothing, not even the birds, had a song to sing that day. How long have I been here? I wondered. I often wonder such a thought, and the inevitable fear that this world is stuck between two designs haunts my mind. Especially when the wind does not bother the leaves.
By Ruggles Kerr5 years ago in Psyche
Dodging a New Dark Age
Is the much feared “biblical apocalypse” upon us? Just like the Four Horsemen of Doom, we have famine, pestilence, death, and disease among us. And, with the Holy Land up in flames, maybe the “signs” are all too familiar. Turning to more earthly concerns, the Coronavirus has wrought unimaginable havoc on the world and has brought us to the point where many are questioning if the very survival of the human race is in peril. Indeed, with the convergence of economic, political, social, and healthcare systems collapse, one wonders whether we are headed into a “New Dark Age”.
By Rammohan Susarla5 years ago in Psyche
I Crave Fairytales
For many, it is time to re-parent your inner child. When considering Bedtime Stories for this writing competition, I took, frankly, more than a moment to revel in the nostalgia of the bedtime routine. Do you remember the safety of it? Of being held and read to. Just for it to one day, without even noticing, stop.
By Tatum Halligan5 years ago in Psyche
