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20 Nov 2009

It all floats to the bottom



I have been reading a lot of blogs lately, mainly from my 'Mentalhealthish' list on twitter. Those on my mentalhealthish' list, sit either side of the couch, around it, on it or even behind it (hat tip to @wondedgenius for that phrase). Meaning they are clients, therapists or those that work in some capacity within the mental health field. Hopefully nobody on the list minds being tagged as 'mentalhealthish', it was just an easier way to keep tabs on why I was following certain folk over on twitter. They are a mixed bunch of folks, that amuse, educate and entertain constantly, not that that is their job, just a happy coincidence for me.

Not sure how to write this without sounding too gushing, sappy or just ridonkulous, but some of the posts I have read, have been far more inspiring and insightful than any book I have read of late. I think it is important to constantly keep your toes in the water, whatever stage of learning/studying you are at. You can never stop learning, if you think you know enough, then you are quite simply daft. Also the perspective you gain from hearing/reading about mental health issues from all parties is invaluable.

The doodle is inspired by a poem, a blog and well some more blogs. Some people have the rare talent of being able to write so well, that you feel almost part of their world, not in their world, but teetering around the edges. You get a glimpse of the highs and the lows in their life. It is impossible to be unaffected by the emotions so beautifully written, even if they are painful, you are grateful that they have been shared. So from that mixture of emotions, the above doodle was born. Click it to see it 'biggified' if you like.

Don't worry I am not getting anyone's face tattooed on my body yet! I am no mentalist! (Alan Partridge reference). I just hope people keep on writing, so that I can keep on learning (without anyone feeling like a guinea pig).

Some poetry follows...(Don't worry not mine!)



This is a poem that I found particularly poignant and went well with my theme, it is by Thomas Lux.
As you descend, slowly, falling faster past
you this snow,
ghostly, some flakes bio-
luminescent (you plunge,
and this lit snow doesn't land
at your feet but keeps falling below
you): single-cell-plant chains, shreds
of zooplankton's mucus food traps,
fish fecal pellets, radioactive fallouts,
sand grains, pollen....And inside
these jagged falling islands
live more microlives,
which feed creatures
on the way down
and all the way down. And you,
in your sinking isolation
booth, you go down, too,
through this food-snow, these shards,
bits of planet, its flora
and flesh, you
slip straight down, unreeled,
until the bottom's oozy silt, the sucking
baby-soft muck,
welcomes you
to the deep sea's bed,
a million anvils per square inch
pressing on your skull.
How silent here, how much life,
few places deeper on earth,
none with more width.
Thanks for reading, as always.

12 comments:

  1. Sometimes I think that one will learn so much more from "real people" than they will from all the self-help manuals in the world. People who blog do so from their hearts and generally tend to put a good bit of their lives on electronic paper for all to see. Makes for very good learning material I think - especially for those of you who seek to know what makes people tick so that you can help those who seem to have wound down some.

    Not sure if that makes sense but I hope so!

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  2. Very Touched, thank you so much sweetie

    Lola x

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  3. Claire, your doodles work so nicely with your therapy work - I think you have a unique talent here which pulls it all together. Great posts.

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  4. Lovely post Claire! When I only read your title 'It all goes down to the bottom'...I was thinking of another 'bottom' hehehe.

    It's really true that you can learn more from other people than from textbooks. There is something in their speech, writing that touches the one who listens or read it. And very true again, the learning process never stops. You change, people change, your surroundings change...everything changes so rapidly, you have to stay up to date ^_^.

    Love LOVE the doodle!
    Ciao Xxx!

    (PS.: I read your reply to your comment! Totally forgot to click 'subscribe by email'. I'm glad the zombies weren't that scary!!)

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  5. Wow. I sure wish I could express myself through beautiful poems and artwork.

    I look forward to the diamonds you weed out from the stones and all the doodles you share in the future.

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  6. this is a GREAT post. i am catching up on my google reader list, and I started at the bottom of the alphabet, and finally made it here! This piece is great, it looks active and alive, and I like that. I'm heavily into doodling right now. Totally get your sentiment about being more uplifted and inspired by your blog reading than by books right now. I haven't had time for either one lately, but it's so necessary. Glad to be catching up with you!

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  7. I too share your view that reading really helps one learn. I too often come across some really insightful blogs. I feel blessed the day I get to read a great post. Through this post of yours I want to thank all those who write so sincerely and from their hearts. It really makes a difference. Your blog is really beautiful. Keep posting.

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  8. You never cease to surprise me with your humor coupled with sensitive insight into the interiors of minds and hearts.

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  9. College work - designed to make you dislike what you like.

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  10. I agree! Linda is right. "Real" people put their hearts in what they say. I think that certain subjects evoke fire in us and that's where we do our best work. Keep up the good work, my friend!

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  11. @Linda, You always make perfect sense to me, I don't think you have ever been nonsensical :) It is invaluable, the nugget of wisdom that some people chose to blog about, those nuggets go in a treasure chest of knowledge :)

    @Lola, I hope you noticed some of the things in the doodle :) She is a mermaid, so is a strong swimmer, she has just forgotten how to at the moment. I feel a part two is really needed, as this only shows one aspect of what I was thinking. Thank You for being you (cheesy!) :)

    @TJ, well considering some of things I blog about, I suppose me blogging about the other bottom is not of the question lol

    "everything changes so rapidly, you have to stay up to date"

    Love that bit and thank you for inspiring me to doodle more, you set the bar high :)


    @Man with the problems, Hey you express yourself with words far more eloquently than I! I have to stumble round for an age, to even form a sentence. That is why I take an age responding to comments lol. It is much easier for me to doodle something, than to find the words.

    @Jean - Luc, Thank you :)

    @Dani G- You do wonders for my ego, much thanks :)

    @Chris, tell me about it! My reader is currently on a 1000+ items, it fills me with terror! lol.

    Glad you made it here :)

    @Pratishtha, Hey thanks for reading and commenting :) It is nice to know other people see the same things I do in blogs.

    @Jamie, That was a lovely thing to say, I think I surprise myself a lot too :)

    @Tor, Well I like the college work, I just don't like how much I have let pile up :)

    @Tisha, Thanks Tisha, I like to think that anyway :)
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