Creekside Communications Blog

          The following is a Fairy Tale written by one of Magnolia Creek's clients during a writing group.  She said we could share it with everyone on our blog.  Enjoy!

          Once upon a time, in a small college town, there lived a fair-haired young maiden named Little Blue-Eyed Riding Hood.  Blue was planning to take a basket of her own treasures to the Cottage of Perfection, where she heard lived a powerful being named Acceptance.  Blue thought that if she offered all of her own treasures at Perfection, she would achieve the life that she wanted; she’d have power and control.  Early one morning she set out on the narrow, rocky path through the darkest part of the forest, alone on her treacherous quest for Perfection, telling no one where she was going.

          Blue set off at a quick pace, but soon she was forced to watch her steps.  Jumping over ruts and puddles, she tried to snap branches that bent sharply over the pathway.  Soon, the thin rays of daylight that shone through the forest trees began to fade.  Evening was quickly approaching, but Blue felt that she was no closer to reaching Perfection Cottage than when she left.  Strangely, though, she felt much farther than she had before.

Maybe she was lost – a frightening realization she quickly suppressed.  She surveyed her belongings with a growing sense of shame: her dress was caked with mud at the hem, and her sleeves were torn and spotted with blood – evidence of the thorns, branches, and pits that she had tried all day to dodge.  Suddenly Blue had a sense of terrible fatigue, but she firmly pushed it out of her mind: she must get to Perfection Cottage.  Everything would be made well again there when she met Acceptance.

          Blue pushed and climbed through the darkness.  Nighttime in a dark forest required all of her energy.  She had to start eliminating things from her basket of treasures: first went health, next happiness.  Finally, Blue became so tired and desperate to reach Perfection Cottage that even her favorite treasure, love, was too heavy to carry.  This scared her – love had never been a burden before.  Just as she really started to panic and consider abandoning her quest, a figure appeared up ahead.

          “Who’s there?” Blue asked.

          “Acceptance!” said the cloaked figure with a grin.

          Blue didn’t quite understand, but was already so tired and had no energy to question him.  So as a test she simply said “Wow.  Acceptance, what big teeth you have!”

          “The better to sharpen your image with, my dear,” came the reply.

          “Hmm…well, what big eyes you have!” Blue said, still not trusting him.

          “The better to examine you, head to toe, with.  You do have to be perfect to be accepted, you know,” came the reply.

          Blue was very unsure now, but afraid that this cloaked figure could be right.  One more test:  “Wow, Acceptance, what big hands you have!”

          “The better to cover your weaknesses with, Blue.  You certainly need big hands to hide all of those.”

          By now, Blue doubted that this tall, cruel, skeletal creature could be anything but an imposter.  She turned to run, but slipped in the mud and fell right into his arms.  Her blue eyes clouded with tears as she looked square in the face of a legendary villain known only as ED.  ED’s grip on Blue felt cold and tight, and a cruel laugh reached her ears as she began to realize how dangerous her situation was.  But Blue, like most of ED’s other captives, possessed an inner strength that she hadn’t before realized.  Grabbing hold of it now, she and ED fought face to face, stumbling through the woods with each push and shove.  So involved were the two in their fighting that when they reached a clearing it took a moment to notice.  ED’s dark eyes were not used to the sunlight, but Blue quickly spotted a large white cottage set upon a lake.  She broke away from ED’s slackened grip, and with her last ounce of strength, ran toward the door. 

She knew it had to be Perfection Cottage.  She pounded frantically on the front door; ED had nearly reached her again, running with outstretched and menacing hands.  Blue’s knocks were answered just in time – she ducked inside the door and cried, “Please say this is where Acceptance and Perfection live!  I’ve travelled such a long way, lost all of my belongings!  I’ve nearly died getting here.  Surely I can be perfect now!”

          The young woman who answered the door smiled.  “This is Magnolia Creek, dear.  We get so many travelers just like you, hopelessly lost on their journey to Perfect.  I’m sorry to tell you, Perfection Cottage is only a rumor.  ED is a master of trickery; he uses that myth to trap smart girls like you.  Why don’t you stay here a few days?  You look so tired from your travels.  We can help you find your treasures, as well.  When you’re ready, we’ll help you find the right path.”  She pointed Blue towards a wide, paved road.  “That’s Recovery Way, the one you want, Blue.  It’s a straight, sunny road that will take you straight to freedom.”  Trusting she would find her true destination, Blue smiled and agreed.  Slowly abandoning the pretense of perfect performance, she began to allow herself to start a new journey through recovery.

According to several sources, only 25% of youth say they would tell an adult if a peer was suicidal, more than 86% of parents are unaware of their child’s suicidal behaviors, and most adolescent suicides are precipitated by interpersonal conflict.

Given that suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth aged 15-24, learning more about factors that put youth at risk and factors that best protect them from dying by suicide is something we all need to learn more about.

For more information about youth suicide, visit the American Association of Suicidology.

The three components to the suicide prevention cycle are:

1. Prevention: What is done to educate others to prevent suicide
2. Intervention: What is done to intervene and potentially thwart a suicide
3. Postvention: What is done following a completed suicide to support those left behind.

We must approach suicide prevention from all three angles. Often, there is a focus on prevention and intervention; however, there is a growing understanding of postvention and its significance in our communities.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention can provide a variety of information about postvention, as well as prevention and intervention.  This organization is dedicated to researching suicide and supporting survivors who have lost someone to suicide.

A little disclaimer: notice I did not title this blog entry "Roll Tide Roll".  Having lived in Alabama for the past 9 years, and 20 years of my life in total; I know that this would alienate many of my readers.  So let me just say in the spirit of togetherness, it was a win for the STATE of Alabama.  Lets think of it that way shall we?  End of disclaimer.

So for the past week I have been accosted and villified everytime I have worn any color remotely associated with the color purple.  There I was Friday morning, trying to decide how to make a black and white outfit 'pop' and made the (apparently questionable) decision to don some purple tights.  Woe is me.  I got dirty looks at work, dirty looks at Winn Dixie and many a *sigh* from various others.  Where's a LSU or Auburn fan when you need one!?  Help a girl out!

Knowing that I am not a football fan in general one of our Patient Care Techs, Allison Burnett, still invited me over to watch the game at her house with a few friends. 

Allison was totally stoked.  She was presumably thinking that this would be some sort of football-vention for me.  I was actually thinking "Well The Bachelor is on tonight, but watching Allison watch football could be like the best reality tv ever!!"  It was dear readers.  It was.

A couple of other staff members and a former staff member (We love your Erin Parker!) came to watch Allison the game also.

You can tell from the blury aura of Allison's lucky pom-pom that she is very nearly vibrating with energy and enthusiasm for her beloved team.  Meanwhile on the ranch couch, Erin Parker, Michelle McCorkle and I had a lovely chat.

Alas, even without our equally enthusiastic support, Alabama shut out (I'm told that is the appropriate term) LSU and made our grand state proud. 

Allison is super proud of you boys!  Notice the framed picture of Nick Saban on the mantel.  He got paraded around by Alison after every Field Goal and Touchdown.  Seriously - Nick you are so T-A-N!  Is it the long months on the football field?  Cause it kinda looks like you maybe solicit help from the Dancing with the Stars spray tan team.   These are just some of the deep thoughts I pondered last night. 

GO ALABAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!