Hi Graham, I always enjoy reading your posts. They are comforting but always with good points to express. I just read this one recently. I grew up in the Vale of Leven in the 80's, and suffered with mental health problems from a young age. At that time there was little support or much understanding so to avoid bothering anyone I just said to everyone "Yes I feel fine". Such a fib! :-)
Many years later I have a good life and a lovely wife who has worked with people with autism and learning difficulties for over 30 years. In years past she would visit people every week. Take them to the countryside ,listen to their stories and treat them as real people. Now she says there is too much time looking at computer screens and not enough time left to get to know people. She feels she cannot be the person she wants to be anymore. She is leaving the service this month but she still remembers all the people she supported for many years. And I know she misses them too. All the best Rob X
Thanks so much for this. I am so glad you like them. I enjoy writing them but always worry when i send them out as i have spent so little time refining and editing them. Yes the ‘fine’ reply has so much to untangle from it. It says so much about society, services and ourselves. I can really appreciate why your wife would be leaving, sometimes it does seem that the requirements of corporate bodies make us deny the humanity that is essential to the work people have come to do.
This post really spoke to me - thank you, Graham, for writing it (as always). Rxx
Thanks so much Rebecca
Hi Graham, I always enjoy reading your posts. They are comforting but always with good points to express. I just read this one recently. I grew up in the Vale of Leven in the 80's, and suffered with mental health problems from a young age. At that time there was little support or much understanding so to avoid bothering anyone I just said to everyone "Yes I feel fine". Such a fib! :-)
Many years later I have a good life and a lovely wife who has worked with people with autism and learning difficulties for over 30 years. In years past she would visit people every week. Take them to the countryside ,listen to their stories and treat them as real people. Now she says there is too much time looking at computer screens and not enough time left to get to know people. She feels she cannot be the person she wants to be anymore. She is leaving the service this month but she still remembers all the people she supported for many years. And I know she misses them too. All the best Rob X
Dear Rob
Thanks so much for this. I am so glad you like them. I enjoy writing them but always worry when i send them out as i have spent so little time refining and editing them. Yes the ‘fine’ reply has so much to untangle from it. It says so much about society, services and ourselves. I can really appreciate why your wife would be leaving, sometimes it does seem that the requirements of corporate bodies make us deny the humanity that is essential to the work people have come to do.