Welcome to Dymphna's Diary

Although I am not Catholic, I find it interesting that "Dymphna" is the patron saint of those who suffer from clinical depression and other mental illnesses. Considering the purpose of this site is to offer inspiration and spiritual guidance to my readers, I felt it was only right I chose her namesake for the title.

In 2010, this site was set up to pass along personal information about how depression has affected my life and the lives of my family. Since then, it has EVOLVED. In 2011, I attempted to present posts that were INSPIRATIONAL to you, my readers. In 2012, I went even deeper with personal stories from people across the United States via touching videos, songs, and interviews. My hope was to show each of you that even when you feel that you are in a situation that no one else could understand, you are not alone. Through it all, my comments have remained to be my personal opinions and spiritual reflections. I will continue to occasionally post information that I feel is beneficial in removing the stigma of mental illness, but regardless I feel blessed to have been given this platform to spread God's love and compassion for ALL people. I wouldn't be where I am today without the strength I receive daily from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. My hope is that this blog will help you find some comfort in your life. It most certainly is helping me find comfort in mine.

I want to make it perfectly clear, though, that when I make generalizations regarding mental illness, I am NOT giving advice to anyone. I'm just passing along information that I have found helpful in my life. I'm writing about MY PERSONAL experiences and thoughts. Mental illness affects everyone differently and your situation may not be reflective of mine.


Saturday, January 14, 2012

Make a Difference

6 Easy Ways to Help the Homeless

"Think small," says Jill Rich, 2000 Good Neighbor Awards winner and homeless advocate. "You're not going to individually solve the whole homelessness problem."

But every kind gesture makes a difference. "It’s like the starfish story. A beach was covered with starfish that had washed ashore, and a little boy was bent over picking up one after another and throwing them back into the water. His mother rushed over and said, 'What are you doing? You can’t possibly throw all these starfish back in. It won’t make a difference.' To which the little boy says, 'Well, it made a difference to this one,' says Rich."

Rather than ignoring the homeless or giving a dollar…

1. Give a toothbrush and toothpaste.

2. Carry fast food gift certificates.

3. Carry a list of local shelters and soup kitchens.

4. Say “hello” and smile.

5. Buy someone a sandwich or some fresh fruit.

6. Bring someone a clean blanket in the winter.

source: http://www.realtor.org/toolkits/good12

Volunteer with the following organizations to make a real difference:
Bullitt County - The Shepherd's Shelter Inc

Jefferson County - Wayside Christian Mission
Jefferson County - Dare to Care

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