They say that there comes a time when people feel down and depressed for no apparent reason. It’s not really established at what age depression comes along and affects our frame of being. I venture to guess that teenagers who have not quite established direction in life go thru it, as with baby boomers that have gone past that middle age mark and have a difficult time in getting old.
Health care specialists will tell you that it’s all about hormonal imbalance and recommend proper diet, exercise, and a daily dosage of prozac. Friends will tell you not to worry about it since all of us go thru these stages.
I remember about a year ago, one day I woke up with the blues. It was 6:30AM. The sun was up and a light breeze caused the tree branches to wave at me as I backed out of the driveway. Indeed it was a fine California morning but somehow I was not up to it. Lately, I had been feeling that way.
Jazz music flowing from the FM station on the car stereo was insufficient to lift me from that mood. Couple of times I switch the channel to hip-hop and R&B but to no avail.
Strange but the thoughts that occur in a person’s mind when they go thru an episode is unfounded. It’s like five plus five equals zero. A person tends to forget their blessings when they feel down. It is a biologically caused spiral, which affects the mind and the soul. Moments like these we feel like losers and that we are in a dark tunnel with no light to guide us.
It occurred to me then that I should call in sick and not go to work. This way I could mope around the house and try to figure out what was bugging me. However I was on my way and decided to continue to work.
As I was driving, I realized then that, my life was a rut. It was routine to the point that each day was like the day before and the day after. If I pieced all my days together, it would come out as a canvas with gray paint on it. Not enough color to cheer me up.
What does one do when confronted with a boring existence?
It was the drudgery that gave me this general feeling of lose like somebody I loved had just died. Something was missing.
I made the conscious decision to shake that proverbial tree of life. To get involved in extracurricular activities and do something other than go home after work. Take a trip or two to different latitudes and realize that there are other cultures out there that live simple but happy lives.
The root cause of feeling down is when an individual does not exercise the option to develop one’s self. It is like you are on the outside looking in. Involved people are with the flow and don’t have time to feel down. A person does not have to be gifted or talented to participate. It is in the desire to be one amongst a group that we automatically gain membership into an active life.
A year ago today my life was predictable. The decision to be happy made a difference for me. It is never too late to change our routine and be part of what we want the most. Be it mountain climbing, sewing, or whatever turns you on. Once we find a passion or two, depression takes a back seat. Actually it is quietly stored in the past filed under the category of “Growing Up Pains”.
Getting out of a mental and spiritual rut is one trick I can relay to you. As a matter of fact, I suspect you already know this solution. Let me just prod you a little bit. Get your butt out there and enjoy life! Please. Like the saying goes, life is too short.
John Lacson