The Interpreted Rock

By Stephen C. Schultz Her steps were slow and steady. The red rocks below her feet and the azure blue sky overhead created a remarkably beautiful scene. She had a sense of peacefulness and a calm demeanor she had never felt before. This was an adventure she previously would not have appreciated were it not for her family recommending she get some help one more time. It's hard to believe it has only been three weeks. Usually she didn't like the wide open spaces. She craved the flurry of crowded parties, the nightlife of clubs and the excitement that social media afforded her. She was like a cat chasing its tail, always searching for the next thrilling experience, but never finding it. She found herself in more and more compromising positions and taking unnecessary risks. The feelings of embarrassment had long ago subsided and she numbly accepted each new day. Her family was concerned. There were regular fights and hurt feelings. They painfully witnessed the...

By Stephen C. Schultz The sun glanced off the window and reflected at a strange angle to the floor and up the wall. As I looked outside, it was obvious that spring had arrived. There were bright green leaves having recently unfolded on the shrubs outside. Tulips and Hyacinths stretched upward, bending occasionally in the cool canyon breeze. The boxed lunch from a local deli that included a ham sandwich on rye bread with potato chips, a cookie and a pickle stared back at me. There was the regular lunch time discussion with the laughter that rises up and then fades just as quickly. The room consisted of a large mahogany conference table with twelve plush captain’s chairs. The chairs were full of colleagues, all of us eating lunch after a morning training session. We were the sales and marketing team from two private psychiatric hospitals. We had gathered at this particular location because Melody was in town training us on the latest skills associated with Professio...