Product of One

The main point of this story is about a little boy who became a young man living with his mother's Mental Health Issues, not knowing or realizing there is or was a problem. How would you know if you were born into a world that seemed normal to you? That was me.

What makes this story different, aside from the mental health issues, is that my mother was very supportive and encouraged me to find my purpose in life and not waste time. For she was running out of time as well, the Mental Illness was taking a turn south--where she so wanted to go--to be alone. With very little warning, we packed up and left the only world that my sister and I knew.

In the summer of 1973, entering my junior year of high school, mental illness began to take over some, if not all, of my mother's decision-making. We just up and left. She just wanted to go home!

There are many different forms of mental illness. Recognizing mental illness should be everyone's responsibility to themselves and their loved ones.

Today can mean tomorrow, and tomorrow can mean life.