To Access Press:

I was impressed by the letter by Pete Feigal on his troubled life. In the last paragraph, Pete demonstrates that he has been able to analyze his past actions, self-harm and anger and has learned to love himself and others.

My youngest son has suffered from a depressive illness for 10 years now. He, too, is reclusive and angry, blames the world for his unhappiness and rejects society. He also covers his body with tattoos, stopping short, thankfully, at tattooing his face.

Pete says it all when he writes: “When all you have to show for your life is simply your life, sometimes scars are all you have.”

I think our son feels the same way. His tattoos are his achievement, his armor, and his alone that nobody can take away. I hope that one day he will love himself for what he is, and believe in the love and friendship of others.

B.C.

Wollongong, Australia

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To Access Press:

As I was reading the January 10 issue of Access Press, I came across an article titled “Playing Solitaire With A Pearl-Handled Deck.” While I was reading this article I realized how much it relates to situations high school freshmen like me deal with. I have encountered many of the stresses and troubles Pete Feigal encountered. I applaud Feigal for the courage he must have to share his struggles with the reading audience. I believe many youth my age are depressed and this article could help them through this difficult time. Suicide has become much too common in teenagers. Showing that it is possible to conquer depression may help those battling it. Life can be hard and guns cannot help the situation. Guns are nothing but a way out of a distressed life. Thank you, Pete Feigal, for helping youth with their struggles.

Sincerely,

A. J.

St. Paul

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To Access Press:

I am writing about the budget cuts that Governor Pawlenty is proposing.

I wonder if he is aware of all the good that the Metro Center for Independent Living does for people? Not only does it provide support and encouragement, but also assistants who help with daily living tasks. They also provide advocacy services to help people get out of nursing homes and into less restrictive placements which are a lot cheaper.

Maybe it’s hard for the governor to realize that it is a lot cheaper to keep people out of nursing homes. It’s like taking money from Peter to pay Paul—it all comes from the same place, it just costs more to put in one place rather than the other. Maybe the governor and the Legislature don’t realize it, but if the Center is closed and we suffer all the budget cuts they want to make, a lot of people would lose their independence and wind up back in nursing homes at a much higher cost to the state.

L. Martin,

Bloomington