Al;ve #semicolonEDU #ProjectSemicolon

al;ve #semicolonEDU flickr photo by buistbunch shared under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND) license

I’m alive. Not in the sense that I’m not dead. Although that is also true. I’m alive, as in full of life. And I owe it all to my wife.

She encouraged me to get a physical with a full battery of blood work. Turns out I had prostate cancer.

She encouraged me to inquire about medication for my moods. Turns out I have anxiety and suffer from depression.

She encouraged me to seek out therapy to help save our marriage. Turns out we’ll be married for another 18 years or more, assuming she’ll have me.

For the past ??? years, my mental health has been fragile at best. But Melissa has stood by me every step of the way. And all of her encouragement has finally paid off. I have made the decision to get help. To share my stories. To #stopfakingit, as my friend Joe Mazza writes. To not be ashamed to admit, as my friend Nicholas Provenzano writes in 2015.

I join a growing legion of educators who are telling our stories. I’ve joined the semicolonEDU Facebook Group. I’m following @ProjectSemicolon. I certainly don’t have all the answers, nor do I know all the questions. But I will listen. So don’t hesitate to reach out.

Remember, our story is not over.

Originally published at buistbunch.wordpress.com on March 19, 2017.