LETTER: Kudos to four exceptional women

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and applaud four exceptional women in this weekend’s Telegram, Jan. 19.
First, Pamela Frampton (our “Muckrat Girl,” as I call her, for her columns on Muskrat Falls) on becoming the first female managing editor of The Telegram.
Second, Cindy Day on her first anniversary with SaltWire. Her weather forecasts and articles on weather science as well as personal anecdotes, like growing up on the farm, are interesting and well-received, to say the least.
Next, Erin Sulley, the young lady that came out of the fog. Again, her articles are very interesting and informative.

And last but not least is Margaret Paul, the Mi’kmaq woman on “finding clarity.”

All I could say was wow!

Mental health is certainly coming to the fore. The stigma that exists (I think) is caused by misunderstanding — a lack of (public) education, debate and discussion. It’s caused by one’s fear due to uncertainty in not knowing and understanding. While the stigma is one thing, the root cause(s) are something else.

Again, I believe mental illness is not so much a disease that someone is born with but rather but rather a contraction more often than not borne out of and the effect, more often than not, caused by the “stresses of violence” from some form or another.

I think it starts as frustration which leads on to anxiety, despair, depression and finally desperation. It causes a loss of self-esteem, a loss of confidence, despair and anger; each one an obstacle, a hurdle that many cannot seem to get past. They cry out but no one seems to hear or care.

“You have to walk that lonesome highway (and until recently) you had to walk it by yourself.”

Yes, my dear Margaret, you have walked many miles; your old shoes are well-worn. I congratulate you and my heart goes out to you on finding a new pair.

May your road ahead be filled with sunshine.

R.A. Mease

Conception Bay South