Have you read this book yet? It’s an account of a person who believes in justice and suffered for it.

A line from John Swinton’s book about dementia caught my eye recently: “The question changes from ‘How can I tell my story well?, to ‘Who will tell my story well?’” I don’t have dementia, but I have other problems. I’d rather tell my story well than to have others tell it and get it wrong. In the past I’ve told bits of it, desperately trying to have its truth understood, known, and believed. But today I want to highlight a more comprehensive look at what my life has been like. From before Living Room to the point where my reputation came into question.

If you’d like to spend some time in a rather interesting read, you might find A Battle Against Stigma (first published as I Will Not Hide) could offer that for you. It’s an honest, from the heart, story of how I followed Jesus faithfully, trying to overcome the stigma of mental illness in the lives of many. Eventually, I myself became a victim, suffering while trying to prevent suffering in others.

Since its publication in 2020, I had feared opening the book or letting people know about it, remembering how unabashedly honest I had been in the writing. The description of myself is not always flattering. But I’m not ashamed of being human, so I divulge the truth—the good and the bad.

Note: The BPD I talk about in the book was misdiagnosed. It’s much more likely that I have Complex PTSD.

marja