Most people who are depressed are trying their best. They can be troubled as to why it is happening to them and there is often shame involved, as if it is their fault. Any effort to hold things together, to get basic household or work things done should be celebrated.
0 Comments
I was able to hold things together while Jaymee was alive, but afterwards, I fell into a deep, deep depression. I just wanted to crawl under the covers and not come out. I had four other children, one of which was a baby, so that wasn’t possible to do. However, the life seemed drained out of me. I was numb and performed basic tasks by rote. I tried to smile, but it took too much effort to pretend I was okay.
Jaymee was only here for six short years. I remember her sweet smile and how she loved to make mud pies. Jaymee had a philosophy about life and it was to “just be happy in it”. Even after the cancer diagnosis, she was just “happy”. Surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments were just things to “get over”. Jaymee was pure sunshine! Even towards the end of her life, there was still a smile. Jaymee’s life ended and so did her pain. I was grateful. Suffering is so hard to watch. It was a hard journey for me. Not only did I suffer the loss of my child, my marriage failed too. I was in a dark place. I wrapped myself in an invisible blanket of cotton wool. The pain couldn’t get in, but neither could any love. Depression was painful and overwhelming. I took medication, saw a counselor, prayed a lot and worked hard to understand what had happened to me. Things got better very slowly, but it took over two years before I felt myself come out the other side. It was then that I began to smile again. Today is Jaymee’s birthday. Happy Birthday in Heaven sweet daughter! I miss you. “Depression is a constant feeling of sadness and loss of interest, which stops you doing your normal activities. Different types of depression exist, with symptoms ranging from relatively minor to severe. Generally, depression does not result from a single event, but from a mix of events and factors.” Better Health Channel
“Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up for a few days. Most people go through periods of feeling down, but when you’re depressed you feel persistently sad for weeks or months, rather than just a few days. Some people think depressions is trial and not a genuine health condition. They’re wrong – it is a real illness with real symptoms. Depression is not a sign of weakness or something you can “snap out of” by “pulling yourself together”. The good news is that with the right treatment and support, most people with depression can make a full recovery.” NHS “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”
-Henry David Thoreau Perspective changes everything. Be observant and notice how you see. 👀 Be brave and each day decide to accept, with loving compassion, another part of your story. That takes courage, but doing it will bring a warmth to your heart and a smile to your face. ❤️ 😊
Happy Father’s Day to my daddy in Heaven. I treasure all the moments we had together and wish there could have been more. Thank you for always believing in me.
I love you.❤️ I miss you. 😢 Kindness does bring happiness and beauty to the world. Kindness does have more power than any other force in the universe. Kindness is beneficial to all. What more can be said?
Pema Chödrön in her book, The Pocket p. 21, says: “Some people find the teachings I offer helpful because I encourage them to be kind to themselves.
The kindness that I learned from my teachers, and that I wish so much to convey to other people, is kindness toward all qualities of our being. The qualities that are the toughest to be kind to are the painful parts, where we feel ashamed, as if we don’t belong, as if we’ve just blown it, when things are falling apart for us. Maitri, or loving-kindness, means sticking with ourselves when we don’t have anything when we feel like a loser. And it becomes the basis for extending the same unconditional friendliness with others.” Let’s be compassionate to others by being kind to ourselves. It can begin right now. We each have a choice. How will you demonstrate that compassion, that kindness? Making a friend of our body is so important. That is where wisdom resides. Treating ourselves with kindness allows that wisdom, that insight to come forth. Eating healthy food, exercising, and talking to ourselves with self-compassion are ways to make friends with our bodies.
What will you do today to make a friend of your body? I wonder how much of a struggle there was for this sweet, little, yellow flower as it took its journey to the surface towards the sunshine. It persisted until the flower came out amongst the thick, thick grass.
Perhaps we can all be inspired by the flower, show kindness and understand that we all struggle. |
AuthorDebra Wheeler is a retired educator of 30 years, teaching at community colleges and elementary schools in the United States, Germany and England. Debra works now as a Yoga Therapist and teacher, working with adults and children. She co-created and implemented a mindfulness program for elementary schools. Debra loves to listen to chamber orchestras and cathedral choirs, as well as playing classical piano music. She loves lilacs, sunflowers, blue skies, fresh air, mountains, and dancing in the rain. Family and friends are where her heart resides. Archives
April 2022
Categories |