COMMUNICATION

One of the things that I find happens to me since being zapped with the bipolar wand is that communication with others can be fragmented. Changes in mood can render me less sociable and I don't realize that I have stopped keeping up my conversations or working on relationships that mean alot to me. All of my children, except one, live out of state and all are married with children and very busy. One of them is technically a stepdaughter and has not been close - her choice (I think because she knows we didn't approve of the way she was living - an abusive relationship - ) I raised her since she was three in my home. She is like my own and I am trying very hard to nurture this relationship. So, for example, this is one relationship that is already fragile. I usually call all my children, and I have five, weekly and I email frequently. I talk with the one here several times a week. But when I am not doing well I don't communicate with my children. I don't call my friends and when someone calls me, I usually try to cut the conversation short. There are a few people I will tell I'm not OK and my resolution is to be more truthful about that with my children. It all goes back to that basic thing you need before you can really get "better" and be in control over this thing....you have to ACCEPT that you are bipolar and that means sometimes I guess I have to admit to others that I'm not doing so well. It frustrates me because I don't like to admit that to anyone. Guess I still need a little work accepting. See below, one of my favorites:

Lord, grant me the
Serenity to accept
the things I cannot change,
Courage to change
the things I can,
and Wisdom to know
the difference.