2/15/21, Love

 

Hi Everyone,

 

I hope that all is going as smoothly as possible for you on the roller coaster ride of the pandemic. The numbers seem to be coming down in a lot of places, and then you read about the “mutations” and it scares you all over again. I hope we’re all being as careful as we can be, and being as safe as we can, without missing out on life entirely. It’s a fine line to walk, following all the rules, and not getting totally isolated, and missing out on life entirely. And lots of people are trying to figure out how they feel about the vaccines.

 

People are social animals, and it’s really hard to be deprived of the company of others and our loved ones. I always feel better when I get out and see people. I REALLY miss seeing friends at restaurants. The restaurants in Paris have been closed since late October, and there is talk that they won’t open again until April and May. I see a few friends at my home, with plenty of fresh air and a respectful distance, but there are only a handful of people I see now. I can’t wait to give a party when this is all over!!! I can hardly wait for that.

 

Valentine’s Day turned out to be really lovely. I talked to all my kids, and they spoiled me as usual, and a very dear friend came by for a visit. It is soooooo nice to talk to a friend, share opinions and just relax, and have a good laugh. And the day before, two other friends came for a visit. So it was a pretty nice weekend.

 

It has been very, very cold in Paris, and icy-scary-slippery on the streets, and it snowed twice. I spent some time with my son and daughter in law on Face Time helping them move things around in their home, to make more room (I swear by Ikea closets, and have them everywhere!!). And it was really fun, being part of it. I am a great ‘space maker’, with nine kids, and always a house full of people, with a ton of stuff—and five daughters who have a lot of clothes, I’ve been figuring out how to create space for ‘stuff and people’ for years. Give me a measuring tape, a note pad, and an Ikea catalogue and I can create miracles. I had a walk in closet with a window once, and turned it into a tiny cozy bedroom. It worked well for several years!!!

 

I’ve been doing some writing and editing. Sometimes I feel that I am slower at getting things done in the pandemic. There is always an underlying anxiety, which is distracting, and I don’t whiz through things as fast as I usually do. I don’t like putting things off till the next day, but some days I just have to.

 

And I was reading your comments to this blog tonight. Thank you for your wonderful messages.

 

I’m going to share something with you that I have on my desk. I have it framed and it inspires me. I’m not sure where I got it, but I framed it so I can see it every day, right next to my computer. Maybe it will inspire and comfort you too.

 

It’s titled “Love”

 

“There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer; No disease that enough love will not heal’; No door that enough love will not open: No gulf that enough love will not bridge; No wall that enough love will not throw down; No sin that enough love will not redeem.

It makes No difference how deeply seated may be the trouble, How hopeless the outlook, How muddled the tangle, How great the mistake; A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all. If you can love enough, you would be the happiest and most powerful being in the world.”

 

 

I hope that helps you. It does me. Stay safe and take care, and have a fantastic week!!!

 

all my love, Danielle

 

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4 Comments so far
  1. Elaine February 17, 2021 6:07 am

    Hi Danielle,

    “Love” is beautiful! Thank you for sharing it with us!

    I love that you’re a great “space maker.” I am exactly the opposite. Right now my living room has three desks in it (one from my mom, one from my mother-in-law, one from my grandparents), two pianos, 3 chairs, recliner, couch, aquarium, boxes of Christmas decorations, boxes my kids brought home from college (some from five years ago). My oldest child says that it looks like I’m running a used furniture store.

    Love, Elaine

  2. Jemima A Kankam February 19, 2021 2:41 pm

    Hi Danielle,
    This post is not a response to yours, but in my technically challenged self, I don’t see how else to communicate with you.
    You see, I’m a psychiatrist, passionate about the continued missed and misdiagnosis of Bipolar Spectrum illnesses even in 2021! The needle has not moved much

    I was in that room at the Capitol when you read, I think, excerpts of Nicks’s book back when Dr.Satcher was Surgeon General. I remember you as this petite woman with your daughters sitting behind you and a congresswoman who came to support you because you were nervous. I remember other speakers yielded their time to you because your story was so touching and compelling., not because you were a celebrity but what you spoke of.

    I was there with my colleague, a psychotherapist.
    I was invited to close my practice that morning and be a part of it because the pharmaceutical Rep. knew my passion for public awareness of mental illnesses but mainly the missed and misdiagnosed of Bipolar Affective disorders

    Many of the adults I have treated spanning three decades have similar stories of missed and misdiagnosed
    .
    We could not get you to hug you because of the VIP surrounding you, but we gave your daughters..5 or more hugs to transfer

    I had since quoted you in my many talks and to many mothers in what I remember you saying. “when my child was 2.”

    I purchased your book but lost it in the process of lending it to my patients, soI never read it.
    ..till this week,! Bo,y does it fuel my anger. The story repeats itself ..even in 2021

    Patrick Kennedy, even with his powerful Senator dad who could and did summon the prominent honcho psychiatrists, was still misdiagnosed till in later life( A Common Struggle..Patrick Kennedy)

    And yes, his first Rehab he said, was at age 13

    I bumped into this blog as I was feverishly trying to find out how to contact you electronically

    How I wish the foundation will be extended to this:
    Advocacy to force medical training to include adequate Psychiatry training to Pediatricians who have our kids up to age 18

    Advocacy to empower parents to stand their ground to obtain appropriate diagnoses

    Every hyper is not ADHD
    Every teenage “wildness” is not “just hormones.”

    May Nick’s light continue to shine even brighte r, so fewer mothers have to go through this tragedy.

    It was and still avoidable

  3. Rob Scott February 21, 2021 10:53 am

    Keep sharing this passage, Danielle.

    I started my day this past Thursday by reading the passage above on “Love”. I shared it that day and the energy or Love grew even stronger.

    It set the tone for the day. Several other messages on Love also came my way.

    Very healing …..

    I’ll be sharing it again Wednesday night.

    Thanks you for this, Danielle.

    May God Bless US ALL,

    Rob Scott
    ABQ, NM

  4. Sandra Estep February 22, 2021 1:17 am

    Dear Danielle, I have just finished “his bright light”, it was beautifully written I feel like I know Nick.we lost our only child last August in a car crash,our darling daughter Gracie was 26 and left behind 2 young children, the pain is excruciating as you know but reading your book has given me hope that we can eventually heal,
    I thank you for that,
    Sending love xxxx