My Personal TRIBUTE to Laura Lemons - a Steemian, friend, artist, & Bright Mind
The above painting is by Laura Lemons. I fell in love with it immediately and bought it.
Laura lemons was my friend. We talked about funny, silly, and incredibly dark subjects. I met Laura about 18 months ago through the adult coloring community. Laura had her demons and went through hell. It was devastating for her mental health. Suffering from depression & PTSD myself, I always empathized deeply with Laura.
Despite it all, Laura had a sense of incredible resilience. I was always amazed by how hard she tried. Recently though, Laura could no longer take it and committed suicide.
I could not be more deeply saddened.
It seems like yesterday we were celebrating her birthday back in December and then Christmas. She sent me an amazing hand made Christmas card, that I will forever cherish. Packaged also only the way Laura would send off a piece of snail mail.
Laura went through heinous abuse and trauma in her childhood/ adolescence/& adulthood. I point this out because:
You do not know people's stories. Be nice. Don't SHUN depressed people. Be there. Listen to them
Sometimes that's all a person needs.
Sometimes it's not.
I don't disrespect Laura for committing suicide.
I'm just really upset because, healthcare & basic income is so hard for people to attain. I know Laura needed medical attention but couldn't afford it because she had no insurance. Perhaps if we did not have greedy asholes running the country Laura would've had a different outcome.
Laura sufferered also from some severe physical maladies that made work or leaving her home very difficult to impossible at times.
Your physical quality of life has A LOT to do with your mental. I know if I was unable to exercise and go running, my PTSD and depression would be MUCH worse.
Not that Laura didn't try....Laura invested in a foot bike for her desk:
She tried standing exercises as she was not only an artist, but a Steemian, and she did allot of work on the computer.
She was always trying new diets and things. I give her 100% credit. She was very smart and savvy on a lot of subjects. She had books planned. Awesome ones.
My point is, and I feel qualified to say this as Laura's friend, as a healthcare professional, and a fellow sufferer of depression - if your physical quality of life is poor it makes the mental worse.
It's a vicious fucking cycle. Laura had no access to healthcare so was unable to address her physical ailments.
Had Laura lived in a different country with better access to health care one HAS TO WONDER where Laura would be now.
Just go to Laura Lemons steemit account. Read her blogs. She was a great writer. She had a bright mind.
Next time you step outside to walk your dog a few blocks, think of LAURA. When I go running tomorrow I will be. If you have depression, just remember how much worse it would be if you couldn't take a hike due to physical ailments. Or have access to basic healthcare because of physical ailments.
Laura stood up for people of all backgrounds, gender identities, and was a feminist. Laura published two coloring books focused on mental health and secondly female anatomy. Laura was not afraid to go near the "taboo" topics.
The vulva book should be in every gynecologist office. Nobody needs to be getting a labiaplasty because of a societal "standard."
Laura made cute and poignant cartoons as well.
I always did my best to be there for Laura in the short time I knew her.
Some more of Laura's art "City Song"
Laura and one of her awesome galaxy paintings:
I gotta say, steemit and the world has lost an amazing person. I know Laura is free of the suffering right now. I love you so much Laura. Thank you for being my friend. RIP.
I want to donate some of this post payout to an organization for mental health. I will later provide PROOF that I did so.
Please cherish your friends and loved ones. Don't take anything for granted. Don't assume things about people. You never know what hell they are enduring internally.
most of these photos are mine that I took. Laura shared the photo of herself with the galaxy painting with me. The foot bike I pulled from Google images
@chelsea88 I am very sorry for your loss. It is clear that Laura was very talented and she meant a lot to you.
I found some information on mental health charities (Courtesy of Money Magazine). I hope this helps.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
This national charity works to understand and prevent suicide by supporting research looking at the causes of suicide, helping those who have suicidal thoughts or those who have lost someone to suicide, and working with federal and state government on policies to prevent suicide and care for those at risk.
Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
This foundation awards scientific grants to those working to make discoveries in understanding the causes and improving the treatments of mental disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, autism, and bipolar, attention-deficit hyperactivity, post-traumatic stress, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. They've awarded close to $310 million to more than 3,700 scientists in the past 25 years.
Treatment Advocacy Center
This charity works to improve the treatment of severe mental illness by promoting policies and practices for the delivery of psychiatric care and supporting the development of treatments for and research into the causes of psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Trevor Project
This national organization, founded by the creators of the Academy-award winning short film Trevor, provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender teens and young adults
Thank you so much. I will look into these organizations. ♡
@stellabelle
she dead :(
I have just followed you
This is my post about lauralemons :(
https://steemit.com/art/@asmaasema/last-sharing-of-lauralemons-8-days-ago-peace-be-upon-her
Would you mind to upvote and resteem it?
Aww I love this! You are so lucky to have her awesome galaxy painting! Her stuff was amazing! And I loved her coloring books! It breaks my heart that she won't be able to make more. I knew her books, Art, And posts would help a lot of people struggling :(
Everything she did, even the shirt designs were meaningful somehow! I'm going to miss her so much!
@kaylinart you wrote a wonderful tribute on her yourself. I think for one to be a true advocate for those struggling in this way, they've had to of seen the darkness in their life. She was trying to guide and help others.
In retrospect its probably why i choose the type of job i have but i digress. Thanks for pointing this out. Just another nice thing to remember about laura. Hugs to you. I know you two were good friends and she spoke highly of you
Thank you so much for writing this. Wow. I will be thinking of Laura for a long time to come & I'm sure we'll all be reminded of her brilliant mind for much longer on Steemit. It certainly makes you think of all the things wrong with the world, and all the things right with Laura. She was really lovely. And it is a very sad day today.
Thanks for dropping by and sharing this comment. It's very meaningful to me and everyone. You're right events like this certainly do put things into perspective. If you have any suggestions on a good organization for the donation please lmk. I was thinking suicide hotline but unsure
Any time <3 I am in New Zealand but I will think too.I'm sure there are many suitable charities out there that she'd approve of <3
Many thanks. Though i did point out US specific problems that probably contributed to Laura's worsening health, depression and suicide wreaks havoc globally.
It is the same machine globally sadly. With only few fortunate enough to not be included. We're all here on Steemit because we recognize this & want to change it. We will not let Laura down <3
Fortunately, this effort is seeing the light of day, but still grossly lacking... As you said though we are going to improve this. And kindly support and encourage one another in the process.
:)
I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. I've also seen Alex's post and read comments and it sounds as though Laura touched so many lives via steemit. As someone who has dealt with trauma, ptsd, and chronic illness/pain and (very minimally) suicidal ideology my heart breaks at the thought of anyone in that much pain. Laura and all who have been touched by her and are grieving her loss are in my thoughts and prayers. ❤️
Thanks for this thoughtful comment. Certainly hits close to home when you've dealt with mental illness yourself. I'm sorry also to hear you deal with this crap. It's not easy. If you know of any good orgs to donate lmk. Thanks
Im sorry to hear about what happened to our dear steemian. I wish she had enough support to go through a very hard time. In this world we live in now adays, the healthcare truly sucks and is a big factor for all this mess, imagine being dignosed and prescribed by any family doctor with psychmeds which does not really cure but mask all the emotions. Not even soending more than 10 mins and they already know what to prescribe. Everybody was born unique and what the health care industry is doing specially here in tha USA is making all meds and vaccines a 1 size fits all where in fact they dont know shit of what going on. I hope i changes soon, as they are making the people weak and sick and broke. One day a great change will come from the people themselves as we are all fed up with a system that is not working.
TRUE. I can personally attest to that 10 minutes. Ten, if your lucky.
Shrink: how are you
type type type
Me: "words. .."
Shrink: " cool here's your scripts see you in 3 months "
Me: "um.... words "
Shrink: "don't let the door hit u on the way out "
type type type
@errymil
she dead :(
I have just followed you
This is my post about lauralemons :(
https://steemit.com/art/@asmaasema/last-sharing-of-lauralemons-8-days-ago-peace-be-upon-her
Would you mind to upvote and resteem it?
I am very saddened to learn of Laura's departure. I recall interacting with her a few times in comment/conversation.
Thank you for this beautiful tribute to her memory.
😄😇😄
Thanks a lot for your kind words. If you think or know of any legit charities let me know.
I unfortunately didn't get to know Laura but from that wonderful outpouring of love from her friends and well family honestly here on steemit she seemed to be one amazing lady that will be missed. I am glad her memory lives on in the love and creative inspiration she gave to so many.
Your comment and suppprt means a lot. Thank you.
@bitcoinflood
she dead :(
I have just followed you
This is my post about lauralemons :(
https://steemit.com/art/@asmaasema/last-sharing-of-lauralemons-8-days-ago-peace-be-upon-her
Would you mind to upvote and resteem it?
It is really sad what happened to Laura. I saw Alex's post a bit ago. I think a lot of us struggle at times but it is sad to see that Laura couldn't escape it. I know she had friends trying to help her like yourself and Alex.
Great idea as well to donate some of the posts payout to a mental health organization.
Thanks for dropping by. I'm not sure I can sleep tonight. It is really really sad. I can only imagine how her long time friends must feel. And yes I'm definitely donating!!
@brianphobos
she dead :(
I have just followed you
This is my post about lauralemons :(
https://steemit.com/art/@asmaasema/last-sharing-of-lauralemons-8-days-ago-peace-be-upon-her
Would you mind to upvote and resteem it?
Sorry to hear that you lost a good friend - who was also an inspiration for many on Steemit.
I have created a special issue of Max Curation Edition showcasing her best posts. She leaves behind a rich legacy of content for the Steemit community.
May She Rest In Peace.
@maxabit what a cool thing to do. She was inspirational in a lot of ways. Thanx for doing that
if your physical quality of life is poor it makes the mental worse. truer words are never better said than here