In  the summer of 1960, my dad and I left early one morning to travel to a town in New Jersey to pick up ice cream supplies for the two ice cream trucks we had.

I was 6 years old and just a little guy. I had on my large Phillies baseball hat, Phillies tee shirt, Phillies shorts and Converse sneakers.

When we reached the ice cream warehouse, my dad said, “Look son, there’s the breakfast truck.”

Dad ordered a cup of coffee and lit a smoke. He told me to get whatever I wanted.

I was so short I could not see in the truck.  The man put his head out the window and looked down at me and asked me what I wanted.  I looked up at him and said “Well what you got?”

Then I looked back at my Dad and he was smiling.  Then I looked back at the man and he asked me again what I wanted.  I said again “Well what you got?”

I looked back at my Dad and he started laughing.  I looked back at the man and he was looking right at me and I said “How about a glazed doughnut?”

Then I said “I need something to drink with this”.  The man said “What can I get you to drink?”  I said “Well what you got?”

Then I said “How about a chocolate milk?”

It was one of those special moments I had with my dad when he was healthy.

One type of therapy is “one on one”.

Another is hospital therapy.

Another, out-patient therapy in a program.

Another: lying on a couch.

Another – sipping tea while sitting in a chair.

Another…group therapy.

Shock therapy.

Pain therapy.

Medication therapy.

It took all these therapies over the years to become normal.

Types of therapy are different for everybody.

I have been given the best of care and in my blog I hope to pass that on to other people!

My mental health is very important to me.

A healthy mind can make for better physical and spiritual health.

I fought long and hard to be normal. When I had poor mental health it seemed that I could never be normal again.  But I never stopped trying.

Along my road to recovery I discovered all kinds of amazing therapies and medications which made it possible to enjoy life again!

My two major setbacks involved alcohol and drugs.  It has now been 22 years since I drank or took drugs.

I am very thankful for all the help along the way.

If I can become normal so can other people. I have hope that every day gets a little bit better. I am thankful for the blessings of God and for today!

My sister is not only a sister but a friend.

We love each other very much and have always been there for one another.

My mental  illness has caused some very hard times in my life, and my sister has helped me in the worst times as well as the normal times.  We lived together a few times until I was ready to live on my own.

There is no better sister than mine.

Her accomplishments in her education and career have been something special to look up to.  She has a great sense of humor and we have shared many laughs together.  She lives a good distance from here, so it is always a special time when I see her.

She has her own family now who loves her and keeps her very active.

May God bless her and keep her healthy!

My brother is the best guy I have ever known. He has done a lot for me in the difficult days as well as the good days.

How lucky I am to have a brother like him! We have done a lot together. Our sense of humor is similar and we have some good laughs.

Our love for one another will always be there.

He is my favorite brother, however he is my only brother.

Thanks Bro!

Exercise is an excellent source of mental therapy.

When I was a kid my dad bought us a set of weights.  After which, in many of our family pictures, I was seen flexing my skinny little arms and showing off my little muscles.

I enjoyed running in school on the soccer team and running on my own.

I also enjoyed running after girls.

I continued to lift weights and joined a few gyms along the way.

As I got older I started to walk and not run. About one year ago I stopped walking because I had trouble with my back. But, I am currently getting physical therapy and looking forward to hitting the road again.

I am so thankful for the health I do have and remember growing up with the saying “anything is possible that you put your mind to”.

The warm sunny weather inspires us all.

I remember at the hospitals they took us for walks on warm, sunny days and it helped ease the pain of mental illness.

Spring helps your mind feel better.

Mental problem or not – enjoy this beautiful Spring!

The worst mental illness I have ever had was depression.

I found it difficult to get out of  bed.

It seemed everybody was happy but me.

Nothing interested me and I had lost my sense of humor.

It seemed to keep me from learning anything.

I found it hard to talk to people about anything.

I tried reading and taking walks. I tried not to let it bring me down.  I got therapy and medication. Still it kept it’s grip on me.

But I fought back… and, eventually, with help, with therapy, with medication the depression finally left me.

You can beat it but it takes time. Keep the hope!

Yesterday was Sunday May 11, Mother’s Day and my birthday.  My mom is 95 years young and I am younger.

My sister and brother-in-law pulled out all the stops as they hosted our get-together. I had a wonderful birthday and Mom enjoyed her special day as well.

Mom gave me hope when I thought there was no hope.

For all these years I have been part of a family that cares about one another.  Mothers are special in a family, not just on Mother’s Day, but on every day.  Yesterday we took the time to be thankful for the mother who kept our family whole.

And to celebrate my many decades as her son.

As a baby, I was baptized Presbyterian.

Later in life I was baptized Baptist.

Then I  was baptized Methodist.

Still later, I was baptized Mormon.

The last church I was baptized in was Pentecostal and I have continued to worship there for the last seven years.

Even if you have never been baptized or have no desire to be baptized;

even if you do not believe in God or have no desire to believe in God;

you must believe in yourself and the importance of your life.