Last week, a diagnosed psychotic man who has gone unmedicated for months was walking around Isaiah House wearing a shower cap and singing “Jingle Bell Rock.” When I asked him if he was wearing a shower cap he said he was and when I asked him why, he said, “Because it feels good.” This answer was coupled with a look of incredulity at my lack of understanding at how good it feels to wear a shower cap and sing “Jingle Bell Rock.” Obviously. Sans sarcasm. I’m sure it DOES feel good to not need to live up to some image of normality.
I’ve decided that the mentally ill population greatly resembles the kindergarten age population. I remember when I was in kindergarten the only shoes I ever wore were hot pink high-top converse shoes. Let me just clarify that I went to a Catholic school so I wore a school uniform everyday WITH my hot pink high top converse. Let me also clarify that I had long, bushy, white blonde hair. And this was back in the day before hair products existed in my life. So, everyday I wore hot pink high-top converse, with my long, bushy, white blonde hair. Wearing my hot pink high top converse made me feel good. And I didn’t tame my hair because it didn’t feel good. Kindergarteners understand the world. Kindergarteners are in touch with reality.
When I told my dad about this client at work, this was his response:
“Your friend in the shower cap singing Christmas carols very well may be, more in touch with reality than all of the self-important young people in suits and ties walking around DC determinedly in search of some public policy initiative that they believe will change the course of human history!!”
How profound! No offense to self-important young people in suits and ties. But really, do those suits feel good? I think not. And when it starts to rain, you’re going to wish you had a shower cap on.
It’s always an adventure in the nation’s capital. One week I accidentally stumbled upon a protest of all things related to the Democratic Party and then a couple of weeks later I attended the equal marriage rights rally. Living in such a politically active area can be maddening at times and inspiring at times, but is always exciting. Regardless of your personal political inclinations, if there was ever a good time to live in Washington DC it is now. The excitement among the people here, 60% of whom are minorities, who have felt neglected for so long is almost tangible. The marginalized populations feel that their voices are finally being heard.
Every day I pray for peace. Did you know that there are ten different definitions for peace? Maybe the reason why peace in the world has not been attained is because the world is conflicted about what peace actually is. The definition I like the most is “freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, and obsession.” External peace will only be attainable when the world’s internal sentiment is no longer at odds. The world will know peace when broken people are healed.
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