146 Comments
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Diane Zoeller's avatar

Loss followed by deep grief. May your days be brighter as you continue to write.

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Beth's avatar

I’m very happy you’re healing. Healing AND writing. Even if you were healing with no writing, I’d be happy for you, but your writing, that’s my kind of lemonade! You’ve been missed.

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Nadine North's avatar

In response to your gift subscription notice… I sent an email to your therealhoarse@ that may give you ideas. Substack auto response said that mailbox is not monitored. But the email is there. Take care :)

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Vicky Johnson's avatar

Your honesty is your saving grace. And your lemonade. Those capable of deep thought are also capable of unimaginable deep pain in depths we didn’t think were possible. Once when I was where you were, I remember the day I was watching TV & I laughed. And the sound of my own laughter sounded foreign because it had been so long since I heard my laugh or had even been able to laugh about anything. Weird feeling to be surprised by your own laughter. But, I also knew that small little laugh meant the worst was over & I was clawing my way back. And you’ve made your way back, too. Welcome back. You’ve been missed.

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Patty P's avatar

It’s the climb.

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Laurie's avatar

My heart hurts for you! I noticed you weren’t posting and since I’ve had my own struggles I thought it was me. I’m so glad you’re returning. And I thank you for sharing your lemonade, I think I need to pour a glass!

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Jill Beesley's avatar

Welcome back! You have been missed. I, have missed you.

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Mps's avatar

Lovely to see you again.

Let’s get to the table, I’m hungry.

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Sandy Belknap's avatar

Welcome back Mike.

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Cindy's avatar

What a beautiful piece of writing. You are a magical weaver of words even with the subject of lemonade and mental health…now that’s talent! 😊 Thank you for being brave enough to share. I had a very similar experience. Only way I could explain it to my family was to reference the movie Inside Out. I was lost internally and couldn’t find my way out. It was a very scary time. Still working on it, and probably will the rest of my life, but much better. It takes time. We have to accept and love ourselves. You sound so healthy right now…you really do…congrats!🙌🏻❤️

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Peggy's avatar

“felt like I was drowning.

My brain thought I was in imminent peril of actually dying.

It felt like I was.

Not physically per se. Emotionally, psychology, existentially.

It felt like I was in imminent danger of no longer existing.”

First reading this & having such a visceral connection to this feeling. Your words are spot on for such a dark time in my life.

Then you share the self acceptance & self love stage and dang, spot on again! You allow others to experience your transformation in such a beautiful way with your writing. Your transparency makes us all connect in some way - and I am thankful you are so real in your fears, truths, realizations, and fun facts about yourself and the lemonade obsessions :)

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Roberta's avatar

Hey there Hoarse (sorry, can't bring myself to call you Mike, because I always think of you as Hoarse): just want to say I've missed you. What made you smile this week?

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Jae Flora's avatar

You are not alone.

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Marcia Hall's avatar

❤️‍🩹

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Tracy Proutt's avatar

Great to have you back! You are a warrior! I’ve been there, and clawed my way back to some sort of relative happiness and will do everything in my power not to go too dark again. As they say - you can’t appreciate the beauty of the sun if you haven’t felt the palm discomfort of a thunderstorm

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Alwayshopeful's avatar

Like a dam. Ooph. That part

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