Here is the next of the beautiful, inspiring, special contributions coming in to the #MandalasForMarinke remembrance project. I am grateful for each and every amazing contribution.
Contributions should be postmarked by October 15, 2015. Learn more here. If you absolutely can’t meet that deadline but want to participate, please email me at kathryn.vercillo (gmail).
Beautiful Crochet Mandala
This delicious red and pink crochet mandala is an anonymous contribution. It reminds me of candy and fruit and flowers and all things juicy.
The maker shares:
“One of my cousins took his own life.
Thoughts are with Wink’s family.”
Words by Wink
Wink loved both crochet and knitting and enthusiastically said one day on Instagram:
“It just gets better with each row!”
About Depression
One purpose of this project is to raise awareness about depression so each post ends with some facts, thoughts or quotes about depression, suicide and/or mental health. Pregnancy-related depression, including postpartum depression, is very common. One thing that happens a lot is that the woman affected with this condition really feels like it’s her fault and that it makes her a bad mother … and this can cause her to postpone seeking much-needed help.
Carolyn Moore, writing about her experience of overcoming postpartum depression and anxiety, shared what it felt like over at Mamalode:
“I told myself that in a few days, or a week, maybe a month, I’d snap out of it, wake up one morning without the familiar heavy feeling of dread crushing my lungs. I avoided being alone with the baby to an almost obsessive degree—not because I feared I would harm her or myself, but because suddenly, I felt wholly and inexplicably incapable of being her mother. I stopped doing the things I used to love, like sewing and reading. When Meredith napped, I’d crawl into bed and turn on the TV, counting down the minutes until my husband would return home from work, the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach instantly subsiding as he walked through the door. Often, I’d pack up the baby and drive us across town to the sanctuary of my mom and dad’s house, for no other reason than to fill the hours with company that didn’t flinch at my red-rimmed eyes and downcast spirit.”
Carolyn talks about how she felt inadequate and how it took her a long time to get help because of it.
All contributions to Mandalas for Marinke are so appreciated. They help raise awareness about depression while honoring her work in the same way that this great contribution has done today.
I first saw pink and red together when I saw a young Chinese Australian wearing it, I was always told those colours didn’t go together, but I love that combination, just as I love blue and green, purple and blue, yellow and orange. Yay for colour freedom! Down with colour oppression.
Totally agree!