I struggled with this topic because my childhood was erratic with what I’m sure now was my mother’s undiagnosed mental illness. When we were little, we didn’t know our family was different from others.  But mom didn’t get along with the neighbors, so we’d move and start new schools several times.  Mom eventually didn’t speak to her entire family so we lost our aunts and uncles and cousins.

I’m lucky to have a sister and two brothers and we’ve all learned what not to do from our parents and have grown closer as a result. Time softens all memories and I can look back with fondness now on the good times we had, but still wonder how different things might have been had mom gotten the help she needed sooner.  She finally was on medication for the last few years of her life and things were much calmer…

Highs and lows of our crazy childhood

Years went by before we understood

The fault wasn’t us and it wasn’t really you

Anxiety, mood swings, muddling your way through

Mama, we know you did the best that you could…

~Diane D.

In response to Mind and Life Matters Limerick Poetry Challenge, Mother…