I Should Be Grateful for My Mental Illnesses

Today I passed a girl on the street who was obviously having issues.  She had her beanie pulled over her head and was talking and singing to the street light and waving her arms in the air like she was in a church singing and talking to God. And it was strange. Even I couldn't help but chuckle.  Which immediately made me feel bad! Thinking about it more I realize how truly sad it is. People who are homeless, or not medicated for what ever reason, roaming the streets. Making themselves venerable to others laughing, or worse.  Getting shied away from or taken advantage of. I just can't imagine. And this is not a once in a great while occurrence for me. I see these people, even certain persons, who go around town carrying on conversations with people who aren't there.

I always have had a fear I would one day end up like that. Even though my doctor assures me that schizophrenia is not something that other mental illnesses "grow" into. But it has still always scared me. All I can say is I should be grateful for the mental illnesses I have and grateful they are not worse than they are.  Sounds weird saying I should be grateful for it, but in that perspective I am!