Contemplations

Every year I have to fight off seasonal depression. Oftentimes it goes along with situational depression. And I am not the only one. Before we can fight off depression, we first have to recognize it for what it is. Thoughts are mostly negative. It feels like a darkness has enveloped you. You lose much of your drive. You have trouble facing each day. You withdraw from others or you seek out those who might make you feel better either through their fun-loving spirit or through  their words of true wisdom and caring. You feel unloved and tell yourself you are a loser. You lose hope that any good thing will come your way. Some turn to alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, food or anything else that might give their attitude a lift. That oftentimes leads to more problems and makes life worse than before. And if there are young ones in the house, they are learning from your behavior in how you face your battle. I wrote this poem twenty-something years ago while going through one of my bo