I have a friend who has ben there for me years.
Tate first met me in high school, I was a freshman with his sister, and he was already a veteran in the Marine Corps.
I started off as his sister’s tutor in English (its funny but she had NO imagination and thus had trouble with creative writing) He became like a big brother to me, the oldest of five kids. He offered advice, and when I admitted I was attracted to his sister but didn’t think shed like me he laughed at my insecurity and stood right there while I asked her out on a date.
When I went to college, he bought me a 1988 chevy pickup to get to school with, he taught me everything I needed to know to keep it running on my own.
When I was looking for a way to pay for my student loans he suggested the army and helped me prepare. I failed out after having my first episode of psychosis, but instead of being like almost everyone else in my life, he shook my hand and said “At least you tried”
When I received my official diagnosis and he was over seas, he told his CO he had a family emergency and needed a week home. He helped me get into a program. His sister, who I had been dating since sophomore year of high school, was away at the time. When she came home to check on me when I hadn’t contacted her in six months she found me in my basement half starved and trying to kill myself. She helped me recover, and just six months later died.
After her death Tate declared a family emergency again and came home to help me recover. He retired last year, despite repeated offers of better pay and a possible shot at one day becoming a general. He did this because he was worried about me. He lives four hours away with his wife and children for the time being, but he has bought a farm house just a few miles from me, and once the repairs are done, he is moving in.
Without him I would still be where I was three years ago, sitting in my apartment all day, only getting out when I had to see my shrink, and miserable as all hell.
Tate is my brother in all but blood and law. And if things had been different? I would be his brother IN LAW as well. Sadly life does not always give us a path free of detours.
Just a few years ago I would have answered this question very differently, but thanks to therapy and support I now know that I am not nearly as alone as I once thought.
My life has been far from pleasant since my diagnosis, since I did bad things in my teens (things I will NEVER forgive myself for, that I will NOT discuss outside a therapy room) I am pretty sure its Karma, and even if you don’t believe in Karma and only in God and His punishments? Well, God would certainly not forgive what I have done either. Maybe I deserve what has happened to me, maybe I don’t, but I have people who help me continue on despite the fact the world seems to be against me