A Prisoner Of Fear

There is no greater hell than to be a prisoner of fear. – Ben Jonson  When I wrote my memoir, “I’m Afraid,” I utilized poetry as a means of expressing some of the raw emotions I was feeling during this period in my life. I discovered that sometimes the only way I was able to…

Building Character

Character, in great and little things, means carrying through what you feel able to do. – Johann Wolfgang von Goeth  The meaning of character may be interpreted in many ways: one’s essence, ethics, spirit. Arguably, it is built or developed in as many ways as it is defined. I used the following poem (a personal  …

An Evolution Of Self-Esteem

Well, we all know that self-esteem comes from what you think of you, not what other people think of you. – Gloria Gaynor   I have heard these words of wisdom uttered countless times by my parents, teachers, relatives, and friends. Intellectually, I understand and accept them as fact, as truth. Emotionally, however, I have…

Failure Is Not Fatal

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. – Winston Churchill   If you have read my memoir, “I’m Afraid” and/or have been following my blogs, you know that Fear and All of His Children play significant roles in my life. The fear of failing to perform…

God Was In His Heaven, And All Was Right With My World!

Hope was by my side; Fear was nowhere in sight. God was in his heaven, and all was right with my world. – Peter Kurt Haarmeyer – Quote from “I’m Afraid”   On December 3, 1988, my wife, Laura, and I attended an annual dinner dance honoring the outgoing president of our local dental society.…

A Place That Is Dark And Terrifying

Every day we have plenty of opportunities to get angry, stressed or offended. But what you’re doing when you indulge these negative emotions is giving something outside yourself power over your happiness. You can choose to not let little things upset you. – Joel Osteen   Fear has brought countless children into the world; they…

The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear. And the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. – H.P. Lovecraft  I used this quote once before, but I find it relevant for today’s blog as well.  Fear and I have been intimate friends since childhood. He rarely misses an opportunity to…

A Sense Of Humor…Never Leave Home Without It!!!

If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. – Lao Tzu   If you could choose one characteristic that would get you through life, choose a sense of humor. – Jennifer Jones…

Depression is not exclusive to mental illnesses

Self-esteem and a healthy body image for people with disabilities are so often hard-fought. – Stella Young  I am mentally and physically disabled due to bipolar disorder and cerebellitis. Each one, in its own right, represents a significant challenger to self-confidence and a thriving self-image; together, they can be inseparable, overwhelming adversaries. Depression is not…

Every Dark Cloud Has A Silver Lining

Much as we may wish to make a new beginning, some part of us resists doing so as though we were making the first step toward disaster. – William Throsby Bridges   Happy New Year! Out With The Old And In With The New! Time For A Change! These sayings resound throughout the world, especially…