They are coming to take me away ha ha...

1996 proved to be an interesting year for me. It was then that my perception of reality took on a life of its own.

I struggled to get up in the morning and dress myself. Choosing an outfit to wear was too much to think about and then there was still the rest of the day..... Add to that two young children and you get the picture. My hair, usually my pride and joy would not be washed for days and the little weight that covered my bones whittled away until I weighed a mere 42kgs.

I was in a very dark place and the only way out of it was to embark on a dreadful but necessary journey called 'therapy'.

Therapy is very much like a triathlon, bungee jumping and the 'Amazing Race' rolled into one where one's defences are stripped bare and strength and courage are the only forces urging you on. The only difference in this situation is that it all happens in one's mind and there are only 2 participants. You and the therapist.

Well, clearly, I survived it all and made it to the finishing line, a happier, less rigid and more empathetic individual which reminds me of something I heard on 'Desperate Housewives' the other day and it pertains to stripping of various kinds:

"The act itself is quite simple. You strip away the outer layer and reveal what's underneath of course. Sometimes the results can be quite surprising:
If you strip away the veneer of happy domesticity, you may find grief.
If you strip away the facade of wealth, you may find self- loathing.
If you strip away the veil of helplessness, you may find cruelty.
Yes, stripping can be a dangerous pastime but for the lucky few, it can also be, a lot of fun".