Fifteen years ago I began a long downhill slide that would ultimately cost me everything, even my freedom. I fell from a life I loved to being so worthless that everyone including my wife and precious children cast me aside. The society I was a leader in decided I was not only worthless but dangerous and put me in prison. I am actually an incredibly gentle and loving man who was very sick.

When I arrived at prison it was a horror. I am a middle age businessman surround by truly dangerous people half my age. All I wanted was to die as quickly as possible. It's not that easy to kill oneself in prison, they don't like that. So I shuffled along like the waking dead I was.

One day another inmate started to talk to me about his problems so I listened. One thing lead to another and I became an official mentor helping other inmates cope with the stresses of being incarcerated. I was worth something again! My life experience and especially my suffering became my salvation and a gift to others. I earned the respect of my fellow inmates, the guards, the medical staff and the professional consolers, all because I had suffered.

I got out of prison early and have been trying to rebuild my life and make contact with my children. I am starting another company providing patient medical research to doctors and mental health professionals. All by mining the depths of my despair.

We who suffer with mental illness and all that comes with it have more to give than I ever realized. When one of the nurses in the prison stopped me as I was leaving and shook my had and said "it has been a genuine pleasure knowing you" I couldn't help but start crying as I am doing right now.

You are the definition of value add. You know what it is like to be at war with yourself, to be lonely and completely misunderstood. You know Hell's pathways. Sit on a bench in a park and see the homeless, really see them. When I do I try to feel love for them and to understand their suffering. I'm not sure what it does for me, it's not gratitude for my life, more a kinship.

We all have so much to offer. We didn't get here because we are broken we arrived wherever we are because of our gifts. Share them if you can.

My sorrow is my strength because that's what I have.

Be well and walk in sunshine all the days of your life.