A Slight Return to the Madness

woman in gray tank top

“Soon madness has worn you down. It’s easier to do what says than argue. In this way, it takes over your mind. You no longer know where it ends, and you begin. You believe anything it says. You do what it tells you, no matter how extreme or absurd. If it says you’re worthless, you agree. You plead for it to stop. You promise to behave. You are on your knees, and it laughs.”

– Marya Hornbacher

Well, it’s been a week or so since my last post, so this is just me checking in, I guess.

Of course, it’s been one of “those” weeks: work started back up (yards needed to be mowed). On top of that, I spent Wednesday and Thursday in bed, depressed as usual (I wish people knew what it meant to literally not be able to get out of bed).

But in my rapid cycling nature, I am back, and have spent the last couple of days in a state of “stifled mania” (the medication helps the severity of the episodes). Today is Sunday, though, and I’m glad to be able to enjoy the beautiful weather here. And no work. It’s a great day to spend with the family and I’m genuinely happy. It may be fleeting, and tomorrow is a new day. So, who knows, right? All I can do is all I can do.

The above quote is as accurate as it gets. It never goes away, the madness. You eventually realize the demons aren’t laughing with you, but at you. Like every time before, though, damage all but done, it passes like all else.

I’m planning on spending some more time on another writing project, as well, but I’m not going anywhere. I just needed a recharge.

I hope that’s all, anyway.

A Pause for the Cause

green trees near mountain

“In America, there are two classes of travel: first-class and with children.”

– Robert Benchley

Just checking in.

We’re on day three of what has turned out to be a nice little vacation. My wife, son, and I are in the hills of Tennessee in a nice little cabin with all the “essentials” needed to survive out here with a 5-year-old boy and yes, that means free Wi-Fi, too (it’s inescapable these days, though I do find it amazing how it’s possible to even have electricity and running water in such an isolated area – let alone free Wi-Fi).

We’ve done very little as far as “touristy” things go, to be honest, but that’s been just fine with me. I come down here enough to know that this is the part of the trip that matters. My son has been fascinated by just us staying in a place that’s not a hotel. I’ve also been able to work and mess around on a few things while here, and my wife has her endless supply of “things to do” with her, too.

So, it truly has been a getaway. 75% of what we’ve done on this trip could’ve very well been done at home, so I’m glad this hasn’t been a vacation with a lot of bells and whistles (my wife hasn’t demanded as near as many as pictures as I would’ve expected). It’s been nice to just have a change of scenery and to be able to live on a slower (though not by much) plane of existence, if only for such a short amount of time.

Yes, we will be leaving and going home tomorrow. The end of a trip, especially a good trip, is always heartbreaking. Rolling back into town can be utterly depressing. But that’s how it goes. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy the afternoon at the arcade with my wife and son before a nice dinner and night back here at the cabin.