In my profession, they say that we will "lose" someone, sometime in our career. I'm not sure if that is true, or who said this, but it sure made me dread that day. I had a few situations that were pretty "hairy" and the people chose life. HOPE is the key. If there is hope, then there are possibilities of things getting better.

Psychology seems to be a self-healing profession. Many of the Psychiatrists, Social Workers, Counselors, Therapists seem to have pretty intense "issues". Hell, I've learned we all have issues. Maybe it's that the so called professionals practice sharing, identifying, processing and confronting issues so that the --pot can't call the kettle black. I know I struggle to practice what i preach.

Anyway, that day did come for me. That dreaded day. I could see it coming, and was powerless. I hoped against hope that I was wrong. It was a mother of two, going through a bitter divorce. She was hospitalized (inpatient), was discharged and went home and basically tooks some pills and died. She was paranoid, delusional, not connected to our world. I can't believe she was discharged. But she was. I still work with her children and pray for them often. HOPE....finding that nugget to hold on. She felt abandoned from everyone, even herself.

When tragedy occurs I hug my partner, my children, and try to breathe in life and see the colors. I am not ready for the afterlife. Just trying to be a little kinder to the guy who cuts me off in traffic, and exhale.