Sue Stringer is an incredible woman who was kind enough to share her canna-story with us. Art is a form of therapy Sue & when her conditions allow, she creates a range of beautiful Cannabis themed gifts ranging from Headbands with joint holders, handmade jewellery to coasters & wind chimes. She explains how cannabis changed her life for the better, learn to accept herself & grow as a person with the plant as well as how it helps her with her manage her chronic conditions after her daughter convinced her to give this sensational healing plant a try. Here's Sue story...
For almost all of my life, I've always felt an outsider, as a young adult, depression & anxiety kicked in. It was years before I even realised that's what it was. I was angry, moody, got upset over the daftest things, never stuck at anything & was constantly looking for someone or something to blame.
I embraced being a punk as I love the music (as well as rock, reggae, ska etc) and the chance to release the inner rebel.
I still had zero confidence & always saw myself as fat, ugly & as thick as a plank!
I was around 27 when I finally went to my GP regarding my mental health & for a long time was on an up & down roller coaster with it, before I accepted it as a part of who I am.
At 28 I gave birth to the most amazing little human ever! She was such a delight, and a very good child.
I still had such dislike for myself that I made a lot of mistakes & became quite matriarchal as a mum. Not the right approach for a free spirit of a child to deal with. I was constantly questioning myself, treating my whole life like a very bad school report. I was convinced I just wasn't good enough, smart enough, nice enough etc.
Luckily my amazing parents helped me raise my daughter, which helped so much more than I can ever say.
In my 40's I started struggling with pain & after being told I had this that & the other, I found out I had damaged spinal discs, one of which was torn & also scoliosis, plus more tilts & curves. I also have arthritis in my knees, after an x-ray showed sclerosis on my tibial plateaus. Then came the lovely attachment of Fibromyalgia, followed by sleep Apnea & benign Tumours in one of my adrenal glands. I'd had gynecological problems in my 20's that were fixed with surgery, but this was a whole new ball game. I also after years of constant ear infections, have scarred ear drums & tinnitus.
I eventually got signed off from work & after several months, gave up work completely.
So eventually I took up adult colouring & discovered I'm pretty good at blends & shades. Then I chose to try knitting & again was surprised that not only was I good at it, I actually had patience too.
I've always been able to sew from past job roles, so along came various hobbies, diamond painting, latch hooking, embroidery and eventually jewellery making.
I stopped sweating the small stuff & also focusing on one of my crafts, has helped me deal with pain management & done wonders for my depression. I did consider setting up a business, which I named after my mum as her name mean Spirit Of The Wood. I still use that name, but I'm absolutely loving making gifts for people. I never charge as I'm lucky enough to have all that I need & I'm not a fan of how money mad this world is.
After my mum passed away is when I really began to evaluate properly & started using cannabis for pain & to help to sleep better. Slowly, I realised that I am good at things, I am OK as me with all my good & bad points, and that if I was making something & it went wrong, it didn't matter.
I've made & am still making so many new friends, as well as keeping my old friends too, so I'm really lucky. I enjoy making things for others & paying it forward. The joy and gratitude I get is definitely worth more than any amount of money. I've become vegetarian, and deal with each day as it comes depending on pain, how well I've slept etc. Spiritually I've really begun to embrace things. I've always been quite spiritual and just know in my gut what is what. If I feel negative the white sage comes out! I try to word things to others as nice as I can, because I can still make my point & it's a better feeling on both sides. The gift of giving & helping mean so much to me. Just before Christmas I went out and helped feed & cloth the homeless, WOW! That certainly gave me that Christmas spirit feeling.
As a Taurus, I'm no longer the bull in a China shop, more of a happy moo. I've always been quite empathetic, and now get really tuned into what someone wants, needs or likes. This has helped with my crafts too. It's mainly knitting and jewellery making I do now, and I add positive energy of love & kindness to everything I make & pass that on to each & every amazing person I have or will make something for. I have also found my sense of humour again, don't get me wrong I've always had one, but it needed some TLC. I now know I'm growing everyday & taking immense joy & love from the smallest things & gestures. And it's true, that what you put out in the world has a way of coming back to you, as the feeling I get knowing someone is smiling because of some small gift from me, keeps a smile of joy in my soul. I have a great relationship with my amazing daughter, who really is my most favourite free spirited human! I enjoy a daily cuppa and natter with my 75 yr old best friend, who lives a few doors away, plus all the other friends & family I have. It may have taken me 50 years to finally "get it" but the next 50 will be full of the joys of it & spreading love & kindness. And that's the power of cannabis!!! I now love me & more importantly I actually want to be alive instead of just wanting to exist.
So to that amazing beautiful versatile little plant, I thank you! ~ Sue Stringer
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