Dear kalisha....I've been thinking for days about whether to write that post, for just that reason: that confronting the stigma is almost too hard--too hard, sometimes. But one of the things Linehan says (or maybe somebody else?) is that It's not our fault that we have this condition; but it is our responsibility to deal with it.....I don't know how to do that some days, but if it's not my responsibility to work on the way I want my life to be, then whose is it?.....

Too often, we sink in our sorrow, because that well is deep. But there are things we can do for ourselves and for each other. We are in control of many aspects of our lives, can make the choices and not be stuck with those others make for us. This is what therapy does for me now--although for probably two full years, it was simply to learn to trust and to calm down.

Of course we'll slip sometimes; everybody does. We can't let our slips define us, though. And because they will occur, we have to find ways to even the balance..........It's like me and my kids: I've been scary sometimes, and we'll all remember these times forever. But, I am also the best buddy they have: we do creative things, we are very funny together, I sit down and watch their movies with them...not just plunk them there and go read a book, I buy surprises for them--sometimes toys, but sometimes things that help them with their own insecurities. One thing about borderlines is that we sure do pay attention! (Sometimes we have a lit-tle trouble doing what someone else needs...but....)

I do have to limit how many hours an experience lasts--it's like being on PC: I can
handle a certain number of hours or contacts, but then I had better take a break, or I'll get weird...