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Just Some Thoughts
By Mona Lease
Hi, all!!! Before I start this column, I can whine and bemoan just
about everything. And to you out there who have listened to me - I'm
sorry and thanks for listening...some times repeatedly. Usually I reach
a point where I get tired of listening to myself whine. Now - on with
the column.
There are a lot of people who have spoken with me about depression and
such. They do not know each other as far as I know. There are some
thoughts in my head that intrigue me. These people are 60 years old or
right at that.
For those who never had kiddies, I wonder: Is the depression they are
experiencing an "empty nest" sort of thing that never really was a
"nest?" And, is this now multiplied because they are closer to
mortality? Or, if they already had depression..is it magnified like
throwing another log on the fire??
We are all born to two parents and two sets of grandparents. Like a
ladder - if you had no brothers or sisters - then are you missing a
"rung" on the ladder? You can still go on with your life - you just
have to take a bigger step to get to the next rung...right? You still
have aunts, uncles and grandparents - most probably.
Now suppose you had aunts and uncles and no grandparents living. You
can still keep moving up the Ladder of Life - you just have another big
step. If you have no grandparents - your "personal Ladder of Life" - so
to speak - kind of stops there. This all limits how we exchange
information on our personal "ladder." Grandparents impart wisdom to the
grandkiddies...who share it with their siblings or cousins, etc.
In this "personal ladder" - we tend to share information to those
younger than ourselves. When there are no others younger than us - it's
another missing rung.
We are "creatures of habit." We all want to belong somewhere. We all want to belong to someone - even if it's just family.
So - when your "personal ladder" starts losing rungs...does this push
us closer to mortality...or does this make mortality more real to us.
In our young days - mortality is "out there somewhere." It is faceless,
nameless, and diseaseless. As we age - our bodies and minds do not
respond as quickly or as well as they once did. Does this - in itself -
push us closer to thoughts of mortality and how we should handle it?
When should we start "preparing?"
This is two things to potentially depress us:
1)Missing "rungs" on our personal ladder of life.
2)Aging.
This is on top of any existing depression not of these listed two.
I've spoken with those who have been forced to confront these
depressions at an early age due to the onset of a debilitating disease
or accident of some type.
One respondent told me she's seeing a therapist and it helps. Some of
her depression stems from childhood and throughout life - it just goes
"haywire." You might known what triggers it...you might never know.
Another reported her depression began when a birth injury became worse.
She was young so she's always dealt with the concept of not being able
to defend herself as she would like or as effectively. Mortality has
always lurked at the "edges" of her mind. Aging has multiplied this.
The last one I'm printing said: "I was a little depressed at first when
my physical disabilities started and my job let me go because of it. I
was costing them too much on insurance claims. At that point, I was
more angry than depressed. I was yelling at God because I felt that He
had turned His back on me and I didn't understand why. I've been at the
job I have now for six years and I love what I do. I'm still able to
interact with the public, just not on the same scale I once did. It's
been a long road traveled for me, but the anger and depression are now
gone. I love my life and I embrace every day because it's a new day
I've been given."
The above comments should give you an "across the board" idea of
depression and how it's been handled - from all walks of life...Man,
Woman, God believer, No special "deity" person. And perhaps best said
is:
"Remember to hold on to hope and believe in kindness and all that
is good. Dream as if you will live forever, live like you will die
today. Life is not for looking back on with regrets of chances not
taken. Be true to your heart, Sam Craig, and you will find everlasting
peace of mind."....Adventures in Otherworld - Chalice of Hope, Michael
Kerr
Remember the kiddies and our service people. Take good care of the
furry and feathered ones out there. Be safe and healthy. See ya next
time. Ever Toodles!! MONA
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