LETTERS TO STRANGERS
...WORDS I HAVE POSTED PUBLICALLY IN VARIOUS PLACES IN RESPONSE TO OTHERS WORDS...
...a friend is a stranger waiting to be met...
On Depression
THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE... (I HOPE...) THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE... (I HOPE...) THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE... (I HOPE...) THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE...
LETTERS TO STRANGERS
...WORDS I HAVE POSTED PUBLICALLY IN VARIOUS PLACES IN RESPONSE TO OTHERS WORDS...
...a friend is a stranger waiting to be met...
On Depression
January 14, 2000
first off I'd suggest these ideas are right on topic for this newsgroup, but it's just my opinion and hope that does not become the response for responses... most of your words right true to me from my experience...
>I think that one of the most effective paths to personal satisfaction in
>life is to develop one's skills and interests. When I wonder why I should
>value myself, I think "I have innate interests in certain fields that no one
>else has. With this interest, I can perform with increasing skill in these
>fields. If I have ability, but no interest, I will eventually lose my
>ability to perform in these fields. My biologically given interests, plus
>my experiences make me a unique resource in the world that I should value."
>
relating this to loneliness, I think loneliness sometimes comes from a lack of interests... at the extreme, apathy about everything, even self... but on every level, boredom often effects me as loneliness - or vice versa... the times in this life I've felt strong loneliness (or depression) were times I isolated myself from activities and interests I enjoy or skills I had... it becomes a habit, a rut... a daily "I'm too tired" or "I don't feel like going out"... that turns into not even thinking about going out...
TV, video, the internet, cooking/eating, cleaning... various solitary activities become an easy excuse to put off heading out the door and exploring other interests... the social isolation leads to atrphy of social skills and fear or loss of confidence in self and in extreme cases, one's ability to nagivate socially or in any way through the world...
I thank you for inspiring this line of thought as it's been drifting through my mind in bits and pieces lately...
>The next section contains some thoughts dealing with depression and
>religion.
>
>
>Life is a struggle. It is a struggle each day, and one day I will lose the
>struggle. Therefore, I should not wonder why I don't clean my room, but
>just go ahead and do it.
>
*looking around at my room*
I agree... an affirmation worth saving...
>I, for one, believe that the punishment should fit the crime. I don't
>seriously believe in an eternal Hell awaiting myself. I talk about this
>subject because I talked about losing the struggle above.
>
makes sense to me too... and I to my best to live each moment to it's fullest, trusting my intentions to care and help and do good... I feel no need for a parent to remind me of how I feel or who I want to be... I have friends who do that without any sort of authority or power trips :)
I will live tomorrow when it becomes today
and trust I've done my best along the way
honest love, ric
PS... hope to see more words from you here :)
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