Ascension Presents | Bruce Jenner & the Transgender Question
in collaboration with Inspires
give you this riveting magnum opus...
Condensed Reflection
By James Z. Carpio
I have started writing since 2013. Yesterday, I still asked my older brother, "Am I a writer?"
That is typical of an artist. We tend to wallow in self-pity and self-doubt.
I have gay friends and they would always tell me get married already James, so that, you would enjoy the company and the wonder of your own children.
My straight friends both male and female would tell me get married already James, so that, people would not think you are a homosexual.
I have straight male friends who are also unmarried. And, they tell me times are difficult now to raise a family.
Now, this is the exciting part which is about my family. I told them, no way I'm getting married, and they are cool with that but my married brother, Jay, would always tell me, "You are always welcome to join the club".
My nephews and nieces, never actually, ask me, "How come you are not yet married?"
You know why?
Because they know I am sick. I have a condition called Bipolar. It is a mood disorder and not a mental condition. That is the reason why I am still productive and I could still write.
That is a ground for divorce or annulment if I do not tell my future wife about it.
See how difficult my situation is?
I am frustrated when I see people with mental condition here in my country, it is a developing country, you know why?
Because they are chained and locked inside a cage for their families cannot afford the expensive medicines and the treatment and therapy.
I took this chance to shed light on the matter, my condition became worse because my family did not know what to do with me when I was afflicted with the illness.
In the beginning, I was exhausted and I could not sleep. For about two weeks or so, I did not sleep.
Now, the best way to address that kind of medical situation is to bring the patient to a medical doctor. A Therapist or Psychiatrist. That person will be given medication and will have complete bed rest and will be well in a short period of time.
Now, I still do take medication to balance my mood in order to live a "normal" life. I am productive. I just see my Therapist twice a year.
If I will not tell people that I have a condition. They would not detect it.
Strangers are friendly to me. When they talk to me, I do make sense.
With Therapy, we were trained to be mentally strong. We are actually a hundred steps ahead when we deal with people.
That's why I just laugh it off when I meet rude and mean bullies. They just, metaphorically, spit in the air and it falls right back at them. Meaning, we refuse to accept abuse from them! Just like saying the prayer, Blessed be the Name of God, Be gone Satan!
We were trained to say, 'No', to be simply put, to be assertive but not aggressive.
We choose our battles. Me, I am not afraid of anyone. If my right begins, your right ends. Simple.
But, when I know that they will not understand then I will not argue anymore and just say forget about it. Because it is just a waste of their time and my time. I have other better things to do.
I remember Saint Francis' prayer, the line that goes... it is better to understand than to be understood.
The only downside though is people will not get the chance to discover that people like us are close to Jesus' Heart. We offer our redemptive suffering to Him. Especially, to ease the pain caused by the thorns that crowned His Head during his journey towards His Crucifixion and Death.
There are a lot of us in Hollywood. To name a few; Mel Gibson, Kurt Cobain, Richard Dreyfuss, Ernest Hemingway, Edgar Allan Poe, Frank Sinatra, Ted Turner, Vincent van Gogh, and the list is long.
Here in my country it is a hush-hush situation.
You know why?
Because of the Stigma.
The only one I know, personally, who staunchly campaign for our plight is Tessie Tomas. She has a family member who has a condition as well. I remember her telling us that she is not afraid or ashamed at all.
There is another Actor who publicly stated that he has a condition but without his permission I will not mention his name.
In developed countries, it is normal to say, "Oh, I went to see my Therapist yesterday". An NBA player even mentioned his Therapist in gratitude after winning a Championship Game.
Now, here is the funny thing, I do not know how people would react to me after publicly sharing my condition.
But frankly, I don't give a darn.
Why did I do this?
Not for the "normal people" because they are not suffering.
I did this for people who are broken. And that, this is an encouragement and a moral support, with the message that, "you are not alone". There is a light at the end of the tunnel. There is hope. And, most reassuringly, God loves us all!
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