We all are gifted

My dad's friend is a psychiatrists, and he has been asking me to meet him since a while now, but after my father's death i was just avoiding it, because since childhood I heard that he was a Doctor of mad,  and moreover he always reminds me of my dad.

So the very thought of meeting him made me slightly nervous.
But in my 12th standard,  when I got passed,  I thought that I should meet him to know why he's been calling me.
So,  I called him and said,  "Uncle,  I'll be coming to visit you for a few days".
And I could sense the happiness in his voice after I told him this. 
In those few days with him,  I learnt that there are many hidden secrets behind many our smilling faces.

[ Secrets,  that create a huge void within all of us. ]

Often,  we keep our mental health issues to ourselves, thinking that they make us week. But we forget that, sharing our problems with each other can become both of ours biggest strength..........

One of those days,  I dropped my uncle to his clinic.
Upon reaching, I saw a long queue of patients waiting for him and realised that many are affected by mental illness. 
And yet,  even today we fear talking about it.
In the evening as my uncle returned,  I was waiting for him in the dining table.
Soon,  all of us sat down on the table for dinner.  A frame on one of the walls caught my uncle's attention, it seemed slightly improper. He went and set the frame straight,  then looked at me and smiled,  I smiled back at him. And when I paid attention to the frame, I noticed that it read,  "We are all gifted."

Uncle came and sat next to me,  we started eating, I asked him how his day went at the clinic.  He smiled and said, "It was a bit hectic,  but I'm glad that I can help others". And he continued, "Do you know, that once a 16 yo child was brought to me by his parents,  "They told me that he kept himself locked in his room for days without interacting with anyone outside", I don't know what happened to me after I heard this,  but I could see that 16 yo inside of me. And I started speaking,  "Uncle, during that time I felt that nobody wanted to talk to me.
Slowly,  I started loosing faith in the world, people and myself,  my mental health started falling apart. 
It was almost as if a monster was living inside of me and I didn't have the courage to share this with anyone. "

After listening to this, my uncle calmed me down and asked when and how this had happened.  I took some time and then told him that this happened a few months ago,  when everything in my life turned strange.
I told him , I was struggling because noone was understanding me, noone was by my side,  I was alone. I continued,  "Then I finally gathered the courage and shared all of this with my mother".
Initially,  I was afraid how to begin and if she would ever understand what I was going through.

"But gradually as I spoke to her,  I felt lighter and to my surprise she was empathetic about everything."

And soon,  I was able to continue what I always wanted to do Psychology, my dream.
After listening, my uncle looked into my eyes and said "Beta,  what you did was right,  that 16 yo did the same ." He too shared all of his problems with loved ones.

When we completed our meal,  my uncle went to sleep but I helped my aunt clean up dishes and spoke to her. I was curious to know when my Uncle had met this 16 yo boy.
So I asked her, when did this child visit Uncle?
"My aunt replied to me,  Beta this was when your uncle himself was 16.
It took me time to realise that the 16yo boy was no one else but my uncle himself.
Aunty further explained,  often your uncle share his own experience with depression."
So that he can give strength to as many people as possible to fight depression.

While walking out of the kitchen,  my attention went back to that frame hanging on the wall. And then I realised the true meaning of that phrase.  "WE ARE ALL GIFTED" , and the gift is nothing but the power of healing ourselves.

The idea is simple, sharing all of our inner thoughts,  fears,  problems with those around us. Anyone can be affected by a mental illness, but it is important that we talk about it to the right people.
By going to Doctor, therapists or maybe just talking to our own family or loved ones about it.

THIS IS ONE OF ITS ONLY KNOWN CURES.

We are all like gifts and gifts are only valued when they are taken out of their wrapers.  To see within our true selves, we must peel off this wraper and take it off.  I have shared my story,  and i will continue to do so.

You should share yours too?