Art by Stephanie Wilson

I am a 35-year-old mother of two girls, 14 and 10 years old, who have been paroled to my parents’ care since September 22, 2009. I can visit my children as often as I like but I am no longer allowed to lie down beside them at night and sink into a world of pure innocence, or rise up with them in the morning to feel the warmth of the glowing sun.

Something Was Wrong

My story is strange to me. I am a person who has often felt confused, frustrated and lost. I was 14 years old when I started feeling an overwhelming sense of depression. I did not want to get up in the morning, stopped taking an interest in activities, felt different from other kids and even from my siblings, and just wanted to be left alone. I did not know what depression was, but I knew there was something wrong with me.>>>(more)