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Calvin Thompson
I am a native Detroiter I was born in Black bottom from parents that were part of the great migration of Blacks from the south specifically Mississippi. I learned the value of work in part from my ...view moreI am a native Detroiter I was born in Black bottom from parents that were part of the great migration of Blacks from the south specifically Mississippi. I learned the value of work in part from my father who worked many years as a factory worker who know the value of working hard and provided a good living for his family with barely an eighth-grade education. He knew the value of education and instilled that in me in my formative years. it was my expectations as well as his that I would one day become a lawyer. In pursuit of that objective I was to attend Michigan State however the summer before I was to start college a summer fling resulted in fatherhood. Well starting college and starting fatherhood was not part of the plans but the mother and I felt we would be together so the baby would not be a problem. My father was livid to say the least which caused us to be estranged from one another for what would be many years. I was determined to make it by hook or crook there were immense challenges and mountains to climb as well as toils and snares to contend with. But as it is written it is not the destination that makes you in life but the journey. What unfolded in the interim was equivalent to the trials of Hercules without a map but stepping out on faith unaware of who I was but determined to make it.
There were major losses and major gains, but God always put people in my path to assist me whether I was aware of their presence or purpose God always had a ram in the bush for me. I faced health challenges because of the pressures and challenges that I had to contend with emotional turbulence that put me in the modality of Mental Health Advocate. I have worked in mental health for soon to be 30 years. A wise man told me that God puts you in a situation brings you out of it then put you back into it to assist others. As it is written as a man thinks in his heart so is he. Your thoughts are so profound, and they become a self-fulling prophesy. In the context of what Dr. Keefa said: “think about what you think about.” Thoughts are things and words materialize. We all are a byproduct of the experiences that we have and the thoughts that we entertain. Had it not been for the rain and the storm I would not be able to appreciate the sunshine.
To have survived the challenges that I had to contend with as it is written Jacob wrestled with the angle all night and prevailed. One must display unwavering to contend with adversity and be relentless in your determination to prevail. Saying all of this to say I am not alone in my resolve to keep the faith. I have learned the value of having alliances and having key people in my life. Part of the stress in my early years is that I went inwardly and got stuck. But now I have learned
the value of going inwardly and getting a resolution.
That’s what life is all about tapping into your greatness and becoming acquainted with who you really are. Oftentimes when someone has a psychiatric illness it is easy to get bogged down with someone’s definition or prognosis of you. I have my wife to thank for aiding me in contending with that. I told her about my psychiatric history and she assured me that I would be okay. Furthermore, she stated that this is something that God would work out. Which was just what I
needed to hear. Being stigmatized by someone else is one thing. But to stigmatize yourself can cause so much despair. Having my wife did make a difference, for one does need a helpmate in life. We have had our difficulties and distress, but the fact that we still cling to one another, despite the appearance of anything to the contrary we made it. I thank God for you. For to know someone is to love them.
For the lord has blessed me with health and wellness. So, I in turn acknowledge that bless people bless people. I became the person that I am because of the experiences that I have had. As it is often referenced: it’s not the destination in life that defines you, but it’s the journey. The desire to work in mental health reflects needs that I had to get a greater understanding of myself. I became an advent reader and student of psychology as well as spiritual matters in my quest for a
greater understanding of life. Now that I have arrived at this station in life embarking on a new journey as a writer. I view this as a great opportunity to further serve mankind to help others on their respective journey. This is the information age and being mindful that knowledge is the key. In the biblical sense it is stated that the people perish for lack of knowledge. My goal is to assist others in their pursuit of a greater understanding of themselves. To be that light to help others awaken that sleeping giant that exist in them.view less