A Bipolar 1 diagnosis of an immediate family member sent us all into a realm of the unknown. Who was this person we knew so well? They look the same and sound the same. Something was way off, though. She was not the same. What has happened? We were all so confused and scared. One minute she is traveling the world, enjoying single life to the fullest, living on her own, working, and finishing up a bachelor's degree in Russian Literature. Then, the next minute, she takes a trip to the twilight zone and life as she knew it comes to a complete stop at a psych ward. Her eyes glazed over, her words lose the intelligence I once envied, now only telling unreasonable odd tales. Her countenance is of a stranger. Are you there? Are you my family? Are you okay? I had heard of Bipolar through movies, tv commercials, and books. The illness and people who had it never meant anything to me. It seemed like it could be some fake way to get attention. Boy, was I wrong and frankly ashamed of my reasoning. Not until it affected my life personally and affected someone so special to me did I really start to understand the true meaning of mental illness, especially Bipolar, how it affects everyone, not just the sick. How we all have a role to be the best person we can be. How life is precious and should be held close to our heart. It is up to us to learn all we can and do all we can for ourselves and everyone else in the world and not take it for granted. My family member's experience drives me to know more about the medical field's mental health. I want to learn more about how the body, mind, and soul are affected by a mental health disease. What happens to the person and why? What can be done to help the person and family? How can I support my community and raise awareness? Unfortunately, many mentally ill have no friends or family and need a voice. I want to hear those affected by mental health that so often get pushed aside left in psychiatric wards. They still have a voice and a heart that all they need is for someone to hear, love, and help heal. I want them to know there is a person out there on their side, and that person is me. As an older mother and student returning to school to start this journey and become a nurse, I have put my work life on hold, and quite frankly, I am a little unnerved about it. The JuJu Foundation Scholarship would help lessen my education's financial burden and allow me to focus solely on learning to achieve this dream. Thank you for this opportunity.

Was it all the self-isolation, social distancing, and mask-wearing that made me question myself and the American society in the year 2020? Or was it all the contradicting information reported by media stations? From the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic, during an election year to boot, the American people depended on the news stations for details. We looked to them for knowledge and safety. We relied on them for the truth. We are entitled to it. What happens, though, when the media is exposed as exaggerators, twisting words, or withholding information? A misleading story here ruins the credibility of a story there. How are we supposed to understand, make the right decisions, or be helpful if we don’t have accurate information? 2020 has proved the media as deceitful, biased, and unreliable to give the American people what they deserve, the plain truth. The media’s purpose is to inform their viewers about factual details. However, that hasn’t been the case. It appears the better story needs to generate anxiety, prejudice, and raw emotion. News articles inspired by the same topic appear to be written on entirely different levels, almost as if to fabricate different views intentionally. In a way that seems to persuade the audience in a particular direction. Instead of focusing solely on the genuine facts and allowing one to make their judgment. Whether it be for a specific agenda or by coincidence, it is confusing and wrong. It results in distortion and division, which is apparent all over America in families and communities. Even in the government. Media coverage on COVID-19, the Presidential Election, and various other things has made me cautious about listening, cautious about trusting, cautious about speaking out in fear of offending or getting offended. You walk on eggshells in grocery stores steering clear of any “Karens," worried you might have the wrong mask on. Social media police out to get you for having your own opinion, supporting one political group over the other. The cancel culture canceling anything they please, maybe your very own history. What kind of life is that? When you’re only trying to do your best and do the right thing. I am lost and afraid; American society is lost and scared. We need to get back to standing tall, proud and united together. There needs to be a middle ground where everyone can base their decisions on the media’s details and sincerity. Everyone deserves to be told the real truth for the benefit of the whole. For our future, for our children’s future, and our society’s future. Without trust, there will be no future. I will never forget what 2020 took from the American people and me. Unfortunately, some of those things can not be brought back, but luckily others can. We desperately need trust, unity, and our freedom of thought brought back to the American people. Rome wasn’t built in one day, but it did get built. Starting with today, Americans individually can be the building blocks to get our country back as one. Each day, choose to tell the truth and speak out against lies. Choose to love, forgive and accept others. Let go of self-pride and selfishness. Bite your tongue if you feel the need for the sake of another. Teach your children to tell the truth and help your neighbor, even if their beliefs are different. With a new year, I choose to take back my freedom of choice and confidence in American society. I stand to help the media regain the American people’s trust, report fairly, and to help build our confidence and faith as a whole. We are all in this together, and together we can move mountains. As an older mother and student returning to school to start this journey and become a nurse, I have put my work life on hold, and quite frankly, I am a little unnerved about it. A Sani Life Scholarship would help lessen my education's financial burden and allow me to focus solely on learning to achieve this dream. Thank you for this opportunity.

A Bipolar 1 diagnosis of an immediate family member sent us all into a realm of the unknown. Who was this person we knew so well? They look the same and sound the same. Something was way off, though. She was not the same. What has happened? We were all so confused and scared. One minute she is traveling the world, enjoying single life to the fullest, living on her own, working, and finishing up a bachelor's degree in Russian Literature. Then, the next minute, she takes a trip to the twilight zone, and life as she knew it comes to a complete stop at a psych ward. Her eyes glazed over, her words lose the intelligence I once envied, now only telling unreasonable odd tales. Her countenance is of a stranger. Are you there? Are you my family? Are you okay? My family and I started the research inside and out. What is Bipolar 1? What does it mean? How to live and cope with it? How to help? Simultaneously, we all experienced extreme behavior episodes, mental hospital stays, doctor visits, medications, and the struggle and fear of the unknown. Will she ever recover fully and live a normal life again? Will we as a family ever have a normal life again? I had heard of Bipolar through movies, tv commercials, and books. The illness and people who had it never meant anything to me. It seemed like it could be some fake way to get attention. Boy, was I wrong and frankly ashamed of my reasoning. Not until it affected my life personally and affected someone so special to me did I really start to understand the true meaning of mental illness, especially Bipolar, how it affects everyone, not just the sick. How we all have a role to be the best person we can be. How life is precious and should be held close to our heart. It is up to us to learn all we can and do all we can for ourselves and everyone else in the world and not take it for granted. I started my career choice in nursing, and soon it developed into a yearning to know more about the medical field's mental health. I want to learn more about how the body, mind, and soul are affected by a mental health disease. What can be done to help the person and family? How can I support my community and raise awareness? I want to hear those affected by mental health that so often get pushed aside left in psychiatric wards. They still have a voice and a heart that all they need is for someone to hear, love, and help heal. I want them to know there is a person out there on their side, and that person is me. As an older mother and student returning to school to start this journey and become a nurse, I have put my work life on hold, and quite frankly, I am a little unnerved about it. The Amplify Mental Health scholarship would help lessen my education's financial burden and allow me to focus solely on learning to achieve this dream. Thank you for this opportunity.

I didn't get COVID-19. However, many people I know did. Much like many other Americans, I lost my job, and my kid's school shut down. I played by the rules and did the best I could to protect myself and others. How COVID-19 affected me was in a very different way. Was it all the self-isolation, social distancing, and mask-wearing that made me question myself and the American society? Or was it all the contradicting information reported by media stations? From the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic, during an election year to boot, the American people depended on the news stations for details. We looked to them for knowledge and safety. We relied on them for the truth. We are entitled to it. What happens, though, when the media is exposed as exaggerators, twisting words, or withholding information? A misleading story here ruins the credibility of a story there. How are we supposed to understand, make the right decisions, or be helpful if we don’t have accurate information? 2020 has proved the media as deceitful, biased, and unreliable to give the American people what they deserve, the plain truth. The media’s purpose is to inform their viewers about factual details. However, that hasn’t been the case. It appears the better story needs to generate anxiety, prejudice, and raw emotion. News articles inspired by the same topic appear to be written on entirely different levels, almost as if to fabricate different views intentionally. In a way that seems to persuade the audience in a particular direction. Instead of focusing solely on the genuine facts and allowing one to make their judgment. Whether it be for a specific agenda or by coincidence, it is confusing and wrong. It results in distortion and division, which is apparent all over America in families and communities. Even in the government. Media coverage on COVID-19 and various other subjects has made me cautious about listening, cautious about trusting, cautious about speaking out in fear of offending or getting offended. You walk on eggshells in grocery stores steering clear of any “Karens," worried you might have the wrong mask on. Social media police out to get you for having your own opinion. The cancel culture is canceling anything they please, maybe your very own history. What kind of life is that? When you’re only trying to do your best and do the right thing. I am lost and afraid; American society is lost and scared. We need to get back to standing tall, proud and united together. There needs to be a middle ground where everyone can base their decisions on the media’s details and sincerity. Everyone deserves to be told the real truth for the benefit of the whole. For our future, for our children’s future, and our society’s future. Without trust, there will be no future. COVID-19 took many things away from the American people and me. Unfortunately, some of those things can't be brought back, but luckily others can. We desperately need trust, unity, and our freedom of thought brought back in the United States. Rome wasn’t built in one day, but it did get built. Starting with today, Americans individually can be the building blocks to get our country back as one. Each day, choose to tell the truth and speak out against lies. Choose to love, forgive and accept others. Let go of self-pride and selfishness. Bite your tongue if you feel the need for the sake of another. Teach your children to tell the truth and help your neighbor, even if their beliefs are different. With a new year, I choose to take back my freedom of choice and confidence in American society. I stand to help the media regain the American people’s trust, report fairly, and to help build our confidence and faith as a whole. We are all in this together, and together we can move mountains. As an older mother and student returning to school to become a nurse, I have put my work life on hold, and quite frankly, I am a little unnerved about it. The Nikhil Desai Reflect and Learn COVID-19 scholarship would help lessen my education's financial burden and allow me to focus solely on learning. Thank you for this opportunity.

The horror stories race through my brain. "Don't get on the teacher's bad side." "Her looks will kill." "Don't even think about crossing her. " She could tear you apart." Inside I was terrified of the thought of attending this school. My guts were twisting and churning, causing a whole new sick feeling I've never experienced. What if I fail the classes? What if I don't live up to her standards? What if I am a disappointment? I had to escape, get some fresh air. Breathing in and out, I think to myself, do I really want to do this? I can't do this. I don't have to. I can still quit. It's just the first day of Beauty school. I just have to tell the teacher what I want to do. I reach for the door to go back inside to tell her. Beads of sweat start rolling down my body. My internal temperature rises, dizziness sets in. I begin to panic. Sitting back down, I breathe in and out, in and out. The crisp fresh air starts filling my lungs and refreshing me. I begin to calm down. Why am I second-guessing myself? I wanted to do this in the first place. It was my choice, my childhood dream. Today is the start of the best thing in my life. I know, in my heart, the teacher is not really that scary. She's never really torn anyone apart. I've never seen a bad side. "Honey, are you okay? I'm going to start class soon," said my grandmother. She had the kindest, sweetest voice. Her loving countenance replaces my fear-ridden body with peace and confidence. I can do this. I want to do this. I will do this. She guides me to the classroom, we share a hug and smile, and we start the first day of the school year together. I couldn't have graduated from beauty school without my grandmother, even though having her as my teacher made me put extra pressure on myself. She supported me every step of the way. Through thick and thin. Through good days and bad days. There were plenty of disappointments, I am sure, yet she never tore me apart for them. To my surprise, she treated all the other classmates the same as she treated me. I never expected the kindness in her eyes and body language to mean so much to me and help me through one of the most challenging steps in my life; to overcome personal and peer pressure and rumored fear. It's something I learned from and will always remember. It's funny what people think of others when they don't take the chance to get to know someone. When they judge by looks alone, they don't know what they miss out on. As an older mother and student returning to school to become a nurse, I have put my work life on hold, and quite frankly a little unnerved about it. The Liz's Bee Kind scholarship would help lessen the financial burden of my education and allow me to focus solely on learning. Thank you for this opportunity.

We need to save the salmon. They are a vital species in the Pacific Northwest to humans and wildlife throughout centuries. Unfortunately, they have been directly impacted negatively by climate change. Archeological digs in Celilio, Oregon, found evidence dating as far back as 10,000 years ago of Native American Indians harvesting salmon from the Columbia River for personal consumption and economic trading and were very much of spiritual importance to them as well. Anecdotal evidence from canneries and harvest reports from the 1800s showed how prolific salmon were in the Snake River, the Columbia River's largest tributary. About 1.5 million salmon returned there annually to spawn! However, nowadays, things have taken a change for the worse for salmon. Idaho Fish and Game reported in 2017, approximately only 5,800 spring-summer wild Chinook salmon went back to the Snake River Basin to spawn, and salmon is now on the endangered list in the Pacific Northwest. Also, according to the United States Geological Survey, Coho salmon in the lower Columbia River, particularly, may already be extinct. A few examples of how climate change is decreasing the salmon population include global warming temperatures, acidification of the ocean, and marine heatwaves. Rising Earth temperatures have created poor snowpack in the Cascade Mountain Range, resulting in low snowmelt for spring water runoff each year. Leading to raised temperatures of streams and rivers, salmon use to spawn and travel to become breeding grounds for deadly parasites and disease. A study completed in 2018, funded by Washington Sea Grant, showed the Pacific Ocean's increased acidification from carbon dioxide emissions affected salmon's ability to smell properly. This is significant because they rely heavily on their smell for survival and reproduction. Also, causing trouble for the salmon from climate change are reoccurring marine heatwaves such as "the Blob" in 2013-2015 that temporarily rose the ocean's temperature up to 7 degrees Fahrenheit above normal. This directly disrupts the fragile coastal ecosystems, and food chains young salmon depend on for survival when entering the ocean. These examples caused by climate change make salmon easy prey for predators and lowers their population dramatically. With increased awareness and studies, scientists, biologists, and regular people work together to learn about the effects and what can be done about climate change on salmon in the Pacific Northwest. Local and national organizations and companies have already started the journey to help the salmon population recover by improving spawning habitats in rivers, and streams, building fish hatcheries that breed, hatch, and help raise young salmon. Fish ladders have been installed on the Columbia River and Snake River to allow the salmon to bypass the dams. Even barges have helped by safely transporting salmon successfully. Climate change will produce more challenges in the future, not only for salmon but also for humans. Together, we can solve the issues and overcome the challenges we face with continued research and problem-solving.

A Bipolar 1 diagnosis of an immediate family member sent us all into a realm of the unknown. Who was this person we knew so well? They look the same and sound the same. Something was way off, though. She was not the same. What has happened? We were all so confused and scared. One minute she is traveling the world, enjoying single life to the fullest, living on her own, working, and finishing up a bachelor's degree in Russian Literature. Then, the next minute, she takes a trip to the twilight zone, and life as she knew it comes to a complete stop at a psych ward. Her eyes glazed over, her words lose the intelligence I once envied, now only telling unreasonable odd tales. Her countenance is of a stranger. Are you there? Are you my family? Are you okay? My family and I started the research inside and out. What is Bipolar 1? What does it mean? How to live and cope with it? How to help? At the same time, we all experienced the hospital stay, the doctor visits, the medications, and the struggle and fear of the unknown. Will she ever recover fully and live a normal life again? Will we as a family ever have a normal life again? I had heard of Bipolar through movies, tv commercials, and books. The illness and people who had it never meant anything to me. It seemed like it could be some fake way to get attention. Boy, was I wrong, and frankly ashamed of my reasoning. Not until it affected my life personally and affected someone so special to me did I really start to understand the true meaning of mental illness, especially Bipolar, how it affects everyone, not just the sick. How we all have a role to be the best person we can be. How life is precious and should be held close to our heart. It is up to us to learn all we can and do all we can for ourselves and everyone else in the world and not take it for granted. I started my career choice in nursing, and soon it developed into wanting to know more about the medical field's mental health side. I want to learn more about how the body, mind, and soul are affected by a mental health disease. What can be done to help the person and family? What can be done in my community to help raise awareness? I want to hear those affected by mental health that so often get pushed to the side left to rot in psychiatric wards. They still have a voice and a heart that all they need is for someone to hear, love, and help heal. I want them to know there is a person out there on their side, and that person is me.

I never wanted to be different. I always wanted to fit in, to be part of the big picture. Have friends I could be myself around or look and say normal things in public at the store or get together. It never worked out that way. I'd go into an opportunity confident, ready to roll, and this was the chance to prove I can be normal. This is the time to show myself I'm not a weirdo. Head up high, dressed to the nine, pitch is perfect, I would surely bomb it this time! The next thing I know, I'm having a conversation about how I ran out of 2% milk for a recipe and used some spare breast milk I had freshly pumped instead. Or I would find myself playing catch with the family dog or doing the robot, dancing like nobody is watching when everybody totally is. My pep talks typically ended the opposite of how they started and usually went asking myself, "what was I thinking?!" "Why did I do that?!" Time to hide again. Insert foot in the mouth now. Smack face and never show it here again. After years of such events and my own personal failures, I have learned that it's okay to be weird and different. Turns out people actually like my unusual conversations and actions. The "normal" I strived to be is mundane, boring, and basic. I would much rather be extraordinary, bizarre, and breathtaking. That's the fun in life, take the breath away from your audience, keep them guessing, run around all over the place. Live outside the box, fill it with love for your creative, rare self. What's remarkable is that many of those people I thought would ditch me and never look back became my friends and still are today. I also have the best stories to tell new friends or a stranger. Now, when I decide to take the shortcut out of the hot tub where there are no stairs, and I fall flat on my face, instead of running away crying, I'll jump laughing and say, "I'm okay." Changing the world sounds like the only way to do it is to be rich, a movie star, or the president. However, that couldn't be farther from the truth. Not only do I get the opportunity every day to teach my children to march to the beat of their own drum, as loud as they like. I am also a Hairdresser and see many people every day, and I get to spread the word and help build confidence in my clients. In my heart, I am the ultimate world-changer, doing it one person at a time. "In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different" -Coco Chanel.

I never wanted to be different. I always wanted to fit in, to be part of the big picture. Have friends I could be myself around or look and say normal things in public at the store or get together. It never worked out that way. I'd go into an opportunity confident, ready to roll, and this was the chance to prove I can be normal. This is the time to show myself I'm not a weirdo. Head up high, dressed to the nine, pitch is perfect, I would surely bomb it this time! The next thing I know, I'm having a conversation about how I ran out of 2% milk for a recipe and used some spare breast milk I had freshly pumped instead. Or I would find myself playing catch with the family dog or doing the robot, dancing like nobody is watching when everybody totally is. My pep talks typically ended the opposite of how they started and usually went asking myself, "what was I thinking?!" "Why did I do that?!" Time to hide again. Insert foot in the mouth now. Smack face and never show it here again. After years of such events and my own personal failures, I have learned that it's okay to be weird and different. Turns out people actually like my unusual conversations and actions. The "normal" I strived to be is mundane, boring, and basic. I would much rather be extraordinary, bizarre, and breathtaking. That's the fun in life, take the breath away from your audience, keep them guessing, run around all over the place. Live outside the box, fill it with love for your creative, rare self. What's remarkable is that many of those people I thought would ditch me and never look back became my friends and still are today. I also have the best stories to tell new friends or a stranger. Now, when I decide to take the shortcut out of the hot tub where there are no stairs, and I fall flat on my face, instead of running away crying, I'll jump laughing and say, "I'm okay." Changing the world sounds like the only way to do it is to be rich, a movie star, or the president. However, that couldn't be farther from the truth. Not only do I get the opportunity every day to teach my children to march to the beat of their own drum, as loud as they like. I am also a Hairdresser and see many people every day, and I get to spread the word and help build confidence in my clients. In my heart, I am the ultimate world-changer, doing it one person at a time, creating an army of misfits. "In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different" -Coco Chanel.

Digging through the mountain of dirty clothes that always reached halfway up the laundry room walls, next to the maggots infested garbage bags, was a shirt for school. I shook off the bugs; it looked good enough. Now, where are some pants? There's a pair next to the overflowing cat litter box. I do the smell test; smells fine. Any other kid would think twice about where their outfits came from, but it was just another day for me. I was lucky today, there were cereal and enough milk for breakfast. I grabbed the cereal bag and box of milk, noticing on the shelf little black round things next to tiny footprints in some spilled powder. I always see them and wonder what they are. Could they be mice footprints and mouse droppings? "No way," I'd reassure myself, knowing they most likely were, but too young to know about the danger of them. Next, I grabbed a bowl and spoon, more little black stuff in the cupboard and drawer. I mixed up the powdered milk with water and poured the bag of cereal in the bowl, picking out any of those little black things when I would see them. I packed my school bag with my homework. 3rd grade was my favorite because of the teacher, Mr. Ewald. He was strict, get the job done, no fuss, no playing around type teacher. I couldn't wait to show him my completed project. We didn't have a computer, so I had to draw and color the assignment over and over until it was just right. I was so proud of it; I was for sure going to get an A. After school, I visited with mom. She was in her pajamas again, and in her favorite place, she always is her bedroom. She does what she does the best, smoking cigarettes and watching Jenny Jones or Jerry Springer or some TLC program. I hated the cigarettes, the smell, the smoke, or when the ashtray would spill on the bed next to us, but I loved my mom. Dinner came around. It was another munch night, mom said, or we could wait until 9 pm for Spence, her husband at the time, to get home with McDonald's dollar burgers. It seemed like mom's favorite thing to cook was pork chops or open-faced sandwiches, a can of baked pork and beans on white bread topped with bacon and cheese. I'd much prefer a munch night to a homecooked meal. Mainly because every time the oven was used for cooking, the smell of a mouse cooking along with our dinner overwhelmed us all. As a child, I knew no different, and this was my life. I wouldn't be the same strong independent person I am today without my unusual childhood. I had no parental guidance. If I wanted to be a healthy, happy, and successful person, I had to take my future into my own hands. I learned the importance of every basic human need and how to fulfill them for myself. The long struggle was challenging and disturbing. I strive to teach my children the lessons I learned the hard way to have a better future. They deserve to focus on succeeding in school, sports, work, or whatever they love to do or want to do. Not on basic life skills, parents should teach them. There is nothing better than the feel of clean clothes coming out of my dresser drawers, being able to afford simple pleasures or necessities. Cooking a meal from scratch, having your family drool from the smell of deliciousness, and learning how to build meaningful, helpful, and loving relationships. Having the confidence from my life lessons has made me and changed me for the better. There is nothing I'd wish different from growing up. Success in your life is up to you, no matter your circumstance. "Be the change you wish to see in the world" Mahatma Gandhi.

Legacy is actions, thoughts, life gains, love, family, history, and future, the best of what a person can offer the world. Whether it be daily choices to show kids how to eat healthily and exercise, or whether it is to improve on struggles and keep the right attitude to show kids no one is perfect, and working hard helps get anyone closer. It means more than just living life sedentarily. It means having a chance to make a difference in the world's future, in a family's future, in a stranger's future. Through a worthy local charity donating goods and time to help less fortunate people or families, showing a positive character to be passed down to the world's future generations. There is enough negativity in the world, and we do not need it anymore. We need love, joy, and health. There needs to be more of a drive to help others and be an inspiration to future people. To show people that things can be done with trying. Everyone needs to work hard to be a better person every day. It is the hardest thing to do many days. Other days it is the easiest thing to do. Everyone should give it a try and show the future generations to do the same.

Music runs in my veins and keeps me alive. Depression is my illness, and music is my prescription taken as needed as much as needed. When I can't cope anymore with homeschooling mom life disasters or outrageous hormonal tantrums, all I need to do is take a trip to the wild side, and all the shit melts away.

Just another beautiful spring day hanging out with my babies. That's right; my babies are chickens and a chocolate lab. Seven chickens to be exact. The three dumb blondes, the name explains it all; I am always amazed at how unintelligent they are. Then there are the twins, Smartie Pants, who can figure anything out, and T-rex, named by a 4-year-old dino lover. Last but not least is Blacksmith, who unfortunately took a hike in the woods out back and got lost. We miss her dearly. Skeet, our chocolate lab, loves chilling with his favorite ladies soaking up the sun.

Bipolar 1 Has anyone else climbed Mt Everest mentally, starting halfway up during a storm with no gear? During which all you can think about is back home snuggled on the couch with your favorite blanket, laughing with friends with no care in the world. Your body is screaming at you to quit and end it all. It is not worth it. Nevertheless, in your heart, you hear your friends and family cheering you on, telling you not to give up. You take a step then another and tell yourself you know it will be the hardest thing you will ever do, and you can do it! A Bipolar 1 diagnosis of an immediate family member sent us all into a realm of the unknown. Who was this person we knew so well? They look the same and sound the same. Something was way off, though. She was not the same. Did an alien take over her brain? What has happened? We were all so confused and scared. Here started our journey on Mt. Everest. We had to find a way to the top no matter what. So, we started our new life. How to live with Bipolar 1. The research started inside and out. What is Bipolar 1? What does it mean? How to live and cope with it? How to help? At the same time was the hospital stay, the doctor visits, the medications, and the struggle and fear of the unknown. Will she ever recover fully and live a normal life again? My world had been turned upside down. It was chaotic. I cannot imagine, though, how it was for my newly diagnosed family member. One minute she is traveling the world, enjoying single life to the fullest, living on her own, working, and finishing up a bachelor's degree for her dream job. Then the next minute, she takes a trip to the twilight zone, and life as she knew it comes to a complete stop at a psych ward. Her eyes glazed over, her words lose the intelligence I once envied, now only telling unreasonable odd tales. Her countenance is of a stranger. Are you there? Are you my family? Are you okay? A few years later, a few interesting episodes and a ton of work have proved to be more than just a trek up Mt. Everest. It has been a battle through storm after storm with no gear, with each step struggling to reach the summit. However, the dream to reach the top is the only thing keeping us going, and each day the clouds clear more and more, and the tip of the mountain is almost visible and within reach. I had heard of Bipolar through movies, tv commercials, and books. The illness and people who had it never meant anything to me. It seemed like it could be some fake way to get attention. Boy, was I wrong, and frankly ashamed of my reasoning. Not until it affected my life personally and affected someone so special to me did I really start to understand the true meaning of mental illness, especially Bipolar, how it affects everyone, not just the sick. How we all have a role to be the best person we can be. How life is precious and should be held close to our heart. It is up to us to learn all we can and do all we can for ourselves and everyone else in the world and not take it for granted.

Bipolar 1 A Bipolar 1 diagnosis of an immediate family member sent us all into a realm of the unknown. Who was this person we knew so well? They look the same and sound the same. Something was way off, though. She was not the same. What has happened? We were all so confused and scared. One minute she is traveling the world, enjoying single life to the fullest, living on her own, working, and finishing up a bachelor's degree for her dream job. Then the next minute, she takes a trip to the twilight zone, and life as she knew it comes to a complete stop at a psych ward. Her eyes glazed over, her words lose the intelligence I once envied, now only telling unreasonable odd tales. Her countenance is of a stranger. Are you there? Are you my family? Are you okay? We started the research started inside and out. What is Bipolar 1? What does it mean? How to live and cope with it? How to help? At the same time, we all experienced the hospital stay, the doctor visits, the medications, and the struggle and fear of the unknown. Will she ever recover fully and live a normal life again? I had heard of Bipolar through movies, tv commercials, and books. The illness and people who had it never meant anything to me. It seemed like it could be some fake way to get attention. Boy, was I wrong, and frankly ashamed of my reasoning. Not until it affected my life personally and affected someone so special to me did I really start to understand the true meaning of mental illness, especially Bipolar, how it affects everyone, not just the sick. How we all have a role to be the best person we can be. How life is precious and should be held close to our heart. It is up to us to learn all we can and do all we can for ourselves and everyone else in the world and not take it for granted.

Bipolar 1 Has anyone else climbed Mt Everest mentally, starting halfway up during a storm with no gear? During which all you can think about is back home snuggled on the couch with your favorite blanket, laughing with friends with no care in the world. Your body is screaming at you to quit and end it all. It is not worth it. Nevertheless, in your heart, you hear your friends and family cheering you on, telling you not to give up. You take a step then another and tell yourself you know it will be the hardest thing you will ever do, and you can do it! A Bipolar 1 diagnosis of an immediate family member sent us all into a realm of the unknown. Who was this person we knew so well? They look the same and sound the same. Something was way off, though. She was not the same. Did an alien take over her brain? What has happened? We were all so confused and scared. Here started our journey on Mt. Everest. We had to find a way to the top no matter what. So, we started our new life. How to live with Bipolar 1. The research started inside and out. What is Bipolar 1? What does it mean? How to live and cope with it? How to help? At the same time was the hospital stay, the doctor visits, the medications, and the struggle and fear of the unknown. Will she ever recover fully and live a normal life again? My world had been turned upside down. It was chaotic. I cannot imagine, though, how it was for my newly diagnosed family member. One minute she is traveling the world, enjoying single life to the fullest, living on her own, working, and finishing up a bachelor's degree for her dream job. Then the next minute, she takes a trip to the twilight zone, and life as she knew it comes to a complete stop at a psych ward. Her eyes glazed over, her words lose the intelligence I once envied, now only telling unreasonable odd tales. Her countenance is of a stranger. Are you there? Are you my family? Are you okay? A few years later, a few interesting episodes and a ton of work have proved to be more than just a trek up Mt. Everest. It has been a battle through storm after storm with no gear, with each step struggling to reach the summit. However, the dream to reach the top is the only thing keeping up going, and each day the clouds clear more and more, and the tip of the mountain is almost visible and in reach. I had heard of Bipolar through movies, tv commercials, and books. The illness and people who had it never meant anything to me. It seemed like it was some fake way to get attention. Boy, was I wrong, and frankly ashamed of my reasoning. Not until it affected my life personally and affected someone so special to me did I really start to understand the true meaning of mental illness, especially Bipolar, how it affects everyone, not just the infected. How we all have a role to be the best person we can be. How life is precious and should be held close to our heart.

Sure it might sound cheesy to say, like many others, that my role model is my dad. However, he is unlike so many and is so unique. Let me tell you why. My dad became a quadriplegic when he was only 30 years old from a diving accident. He had three young children and a wife. How could anyone see the light after such a heartbreaking injury? He could no longer walk with his babies, ride bicycles, swim, hike, teach to drive a car, or walk his daughters down the aisle at their wedding. Life as he knew it was over. Life as he once dreamed it was over. Do you think that stopped him? Sure did for years. Until something happened, little by little, my dad found ways to get around his disability to do the littlest thing to the biggest thing in life. He learned how to do things with specially designed tools to dial a phone, feed himself, cook, change the tv remote, and pick stuff up or move them. He learned how to use a computer, get around in a motorized wheelchair, shoot guns, even learn to drive a van! Now, if you don't think that's cool, then I don't know what to say. My dad's latest achievement has been to be a self-taught metal working mechanical engineer, so to say. Meaning using machines and metal to create items that can make his life easier. Such as knobs, handles, and pulls. I have no idea how he does it, but he says it's easy. My dad keeps impressing me, and I can't wait to see what he has up his sleeves for the future. My dad is my role model.

Bold. Beautiful. Powerful. I never imagined birth to be so amazing. How can life be so precious, magical, fragile, and be in my arms? Just a single photo of a moment in time, that lasts an eternity in my heart, and a question that still is unexplainable.