I'm Abnormal

One day, I was in the mall with my mom – we were trying to cool ourselves from the heat of the sun. Thirsty as I was, I bought a bottle of refreshing ice-cold buko (coconut) juice from a mall island kiosk. Unfortunately, the bottle cap was so tightly closed and my hand kept slipping through the wet cap while I tried opening it. Already desperate to drink my buko juice, I looked around to look for someone to help… Someone with bigger and stronger muscles than mine. A-ha! I found one – a mall maintenance man! Yes! He was wearing a uniform with a cleanser sprayer and mop in hand, diligently cleaning the floor.

I briskly walked up to him and talked to him saying, “Manong, pwede po ba ninyong buksan itong bote? (Sir, may you please open this bottle?)” He stopped, looked at me and got the bottle and tried to open it. The vendor of the kiosk next to where we were standing suddenly spoke to me saying, “Bingi at pipi po sya. (He’s deaf-mute).” “Oh,” I replied and looked back at the hardworking man. By that time, he had successfully and effortlessly opened the bottle. I respectfully thanked him and went back to where my mom and I were sitting.

As I gulped my thirst-quenching juice, I reflected on what had just happened. I was reminded that I am not alone in my life struggles. Many other people have their own disabilities, too.  It’s just that theirs come in a different form. I am bipolar while the maintenance man is deaf-mute. I am bipolar while another may have experienced a divorce. I am bipolar but I have never been molested. I am bipolar but by God’s grace, my family is intact. We all have problems and they come in many different forms. To each his own. We're the same and equal in the eyes of God.

What a relief to know that I'm not alone in my struggles... 

Sometimes, I fall into the trap of self-pity, feeling sorry for myself that I am mentally incapacitated. But, God reminds me many times that I am loved and I am special and that despite being “different,” I CAN still live a normal life. You are loved and special, too, and there is a purpose why you go through specific trials in life. We can only see so far into the future but God sees the future up to eternity. I always think that if I had not experienced my psychotic delusions and hallucinations, had I not been admitted in the psychiatric ward, I wouldn’t deeply feel what REAL SADNESS and REAL DEPRESSION mean. I wouldn’t be human enough to feel what a real human being feels. And I wouldn’t be able to help and encourage others.

So now, believe it or not, I feel blessed because of my condition. As friends have been telling me – it’s a GIFT, not a sickness.  So I thank God that I’m abnormal… or should I say, “differently” normal. J

Something on the side…

HEALTH BENEFITS OF COCONUT JUICE

There are many medicinal benefits of coconut juice. Here are some of the common ones:

1. Helps in removing all forms of kidney and bladder stones. This is low cost effective and can save so much money that would have been used for hospital bills.

2. Aids in natural oral rehydration therapy (ORT)

3. Reduces fever, calms nervous and emotional imbalances

4. Helps in flushing the liver. Its anti-microbial properties aids in treating liver ailments such as hepatitis.

5. Contains the following:

    - glucose: for energy

    - vitamin Bs: for replenishment of worn out cells and tissues

    - vitamin C: for protection of body from various sicknesses

    - potassium: for lowering arterial blood pressure

6. Detoxifies the body from any form of poison infusion in the body

Resource:  http://voices.yahoo.com/9-health-benefits-coconut-water-2194726.html?cat=5 

Coconut tree in our backyard! Yes! We do have several at home.

I'm grateful for the emergence of buko juice businesses...

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Thank God, I'm "differently" normal!

“Be joyful always… Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you

in Christ Jesus.”   1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18