Write what you know. It sounds like a simple thing to do, just write about who you are, and what you've seen. For the past twenty one years I have had the pleasure, and struggle, of knowing my daughter Natasha. I don't know anyone in this world better. I don't love anyone in the world more. I haven't spent as much time with anyone else; yet answering the question "what do I know?" about 'Tasha is anyting but simple, and anything but easy. Granted that there is a mystery at the heart of every parent/child relationship; ours is more mysteriuos than most.
'Tasha is her fathers girl, the disc jockeys kid, the light of my life, and mentally ill. Exploring our history together, learning about "Tasha has been a journey into the heart of who I am, what it means to be a man, a father, a parent, and what it means to be alive and part of the human family. At the core of our story is the fact that both 'Tasha and I are survivors: we've surrived divorce, suden departures, countless IEP meetings, shrinks, sucide attempts, jobs, firings, more jobs, custody fights, isolation, and more. The DJ's girl is made of some pretty tough stuff, she's come far despite all she lost to the thief that mental illness is. Her illness has robbed 'Tasha of many, many things: 'Tasha has never had a real friend, she's never even had a girlfriend to hang out with. 'Tasha has learning disabilities profound enough that she has trouble telling time, she can't count money, she is delayed developmentally to the point that she looks to be 14 or 15 rather than her real age of 21, her biological mother calls her now and then but never sends a birthday card; and Natasha is terrifically lonely most of the time. Such is just the beginning of the robbery report, and I list it not to elicit sympathy for my daughter, I make this list for the opposite reason..to offer hope. The DJ's girl has survived, my girl still has a smile that can light up a room, she remains the work of my life, and the nearest one to my heart. We begin this blog to offer our story, to descibe our journey, and share our faith in happy endings to all you fellow travelers, all you who love someone difficult, all who journey with us on this winding winter road. Welcome to the story of the DJ's girl.
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