Some days there are no words, there are just images that flicker in the darkness. However, even in the eddies of gloom there are such brilliant flashes of light and colour. I have to look a little closer, but find myself entranced, following sparks of light. Many fear darkness, and
Some years ago, I gave up the folly of making New Year’s Resolutions. It seemed artificial to make a big deal about what was in actuality just another day. However, isn’t that all they are? Each day is just another day, pregnant with hope that we will find the strength
How quickly one forgets! That’s probably a merciful feature built into the human mind – a natural survival instinct – so one forgets how bad it can get. Three days ago spring announced itself in the Cowichan Valley with a clarion call of sunshine at 15 degrees Celsius. Sitting inside
How strange the nature of the beast. You do all you can to combat it, but at times, all its victories pile up against the stanchions. Once more you feel adrift, treading water in the deepest shadows. Spoke to one daughter at lunch, who seems to be fighting her own
I remember the first time I felt this tired. Not the exact hour, day, or even year, but I remember the quality of it. I was at the sink, preparing vegetables, and I got so tired that I had to sit on a stool, my arms propping me up on
Suicide is an especially difficult topic for me. I have known three people who lost the battle to depression and successfully ended their lives. I use the word “successfully” ironically. As a survivor, I know there is no victory in losing the fight, and to this day I am still
The International Association for Suicide Prevention provides contact information for crisis centres around the world. Befrienders Worldwide also provides links to helpline networks around the world. Select your country from the dropdown menu in the top right corner. In the U.K. the Samaritans offer confidential 24-hour telephone counselling services at 08457 90 90 90. For
On the high-pain days, the world seems to shrink a little smaller, and I am left with the dilemma of how to inhabit my body when it is such a source of pain. As if mirroring my inner world, as I learn to feel emotions long-suppressed, wave after wave of
Thoughts on depression Respect the wisdom of others, but never at the expense of your own wisdom. When I first truly realized that I was experiencing an extreme mood disturbance, I talked to the GP about it. He referred me to a psychiatrist, who prescribed anti-depressants. I then visited my