Going well where matters most

Am still amazed at support am getting from Macon Housing Authority. Was a key thing for me last year getting a housing voucher, which lead to me staying at a place which is very supportive for people with mental concerns.

After my short stint working in the field of heating in air which I talked in this post was a bit surprised to find myself going through a healing phase.

And should add the work was for the most part a great experience even if a brief time. Met a lot of great folks, including talking to more than one person surprised was going into the field at THIS point in my life.

Most of the folks were half my age and will put out there that if you have the skills is an area where you can come from a lot of different backgrounds.

Well I have lots of skills but they also include coding for computers, and lots of other IT including tech support. And have been an office worker my entire life. Felt really like something went wrong with direction which talked in my post where acknowledged financial challenges remain.

Support staff with Macon Housing Authority though--have been life savers.

And things are going well now and they are helping me address more things! Will admit had been wary about going to them, having had a lot of bad experiences in the past--when felt like people were not really listening. And discussed that in THIS post where was specific to VA, where things have gotten better too.

Also found myself thinking of a post from YEARS ago: Thoughts on my story

Where talked how ended up with highest SAT of my graduating class. And yeah went on to Vanderbilt University, where got my degree in physics. And I like to talk about my story. But had some people decide, and I mean DECIDE I should be a heating and air technician and apply a LOT of pressure on me. And have to wonder. What do they think they know better than I do?

Is like am talking to people not really listening. With no concept of consequences either, which I find odd. Am a VERY public person, you know?

Like an example of what I mean about NOT listening to me? Repeatedly have had suggestions to work for the federal government, as gives priority to veterans. Well I don't want to work for the federal government and AM outspoken with our current president. Here is an example:

@POTUS Am confident you were NOT raised by wolves. Or course if you wish to poop wherever, run around without clothes and howl at the Moon?

Maybe can go live in the woods anyway like a wolf.

But if wish to live in cities with your fellow humans? 

Then you need to follow RULES.

Here is link to that tweet on Twitter. And I really like that tweet. I think it is extremely on point, and also rather clever--confident not raised by wolves? Ok. So what's this nonsense about ME working for the US Government?

Closing in on a year since was given a car and not surprisingly there is follow-up interest. Am thinking my story shows the reality of coming back from struggle, where progress can be in fits and starts, and focus on COMPLETE health, is the priority. Complete health of course includes mental health, and glad to be able to publicly admit--am working on mine.

Been editing this post and that will continue. But feel like left off something should address--greater difficulty in talking mental health in Black Community. Where have a dark explanation, which is MINE, and wish to emphasize.

But is like where noted in a previous post was shocked to learn that whipping could kill an adult from shock if that adult had never been whipped. And yeah, to me should be common sense that American slavery could have lasting consequences. And like, what would happen to a severely mentally ill slave?

Do not think have ever noticed that discussed. Am confident would not end up in a mental asylum, and you cannot beat someone out of mental illness--only makes worse. And cannot just talk out of it either, so my suspicion is that they were simply killed. Could be wrong, would like to know if there is anything from historians on this subject. But if so, yeah that could explain a learned reticence among slaves to talk mental problems which continued after slavery ended over 150 years ago.

There is a reality today that begs for explanation and think American slavery can reasonably be suspected to have much to do with it.

Mental health is part of complete health and should not be a source of shame when a person needs medical care in that area any more than needed medical care for physical problems.

For all we know, for a long time for a slave, mental illness could have been a death sentence, and if so, the community would have worked hard to hide for as long as possible. And yeah there is speculation there, but if is correct that needs to be addressed so can be dropped.  Slavery ended over 150 years ago will repeat, but Black Community cannot end its influence if not facing all it might have inflicted upon its victims.

We can face the truth.


James Harris