I've become a great fan of the musical Man of La Mancha, especially of the music. My favorite song of all is The Impossible Dream. Many times when I have been depressed, I put on the CD and listen to it at high volume, singing along. It never fails to make me feel better.

The Unreachable Star is my metaphor for recovery. My therapist told me that I have an unbelievable ability to bounce back from adversity. I've experienced many depressions, the worst a major, major depression ten years ago. I will never forget the depths of that depression, the psychotic episodes, the terror of not being able at times to distinguish delusions and hallucinations from reality. With the help of a brilliant psychiatrist and clinical psychologist and medication I did emerge from the darkness.

Today I'm relatively stable, an active volunteer with NAMI and other community agencies. I strive daily to Reach the Unreachable Star.