Blues of Life.....

Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in our own sunshine.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

We decided to go on a drive over the weekend – a journey with no specific destination or agenda. Travelling on a route not taken before, we soon drove past small sleepy towns on the way. Just minutes into the drive, the bickering in the backseat soon died and pretty soon, the kids were fast asleep. Acres and acres of farmland stretched out by the road – especially with the canola flowers in bloom, most of these farms were so eye-catching with their yellow hues. The habitually dry and brown Aussie vegetation that peppered the scenery around this region, also seemed to have acquired a subtle and un-jarring beauty with the recent rains. The smooth grassy knolls were speckled with grazing sheep, its scenic beauty more resplendent in the golden sunlight. The land spoke of a harmony that was a soothing salve to an agitated mind searching some kind of repose.

If only some of us are capable of transferring this drive's tranquility to our biggest journey that we call life? Notwithstanding the fragility of lives and occasionally the brevity, we tend to cram our lives with disputes, ego issues, pettiness, antagonism, possessiveness, territorial atavism - the list continues. Knowing fully well that we never get out of it alive, we not only take life too seriously, but pitt our limited defenses, against all odds of swimming against the tide and in the end, exhaust ourselves of life's immense possibilities.

However, each one of us is unique - not just in our traits and behaviour but also when it comes to dealing with life's disappointments. There are some who, in doggedly following the fatalistic truth that all things are inevitably predetermined, exude a stoicism in the face of adversity that is greatly enviable. The hedonistic few, with escapism as their sole mantra, diligently immerse themselves in newer pursuits, carefully placing a gulf of distance between themselves and anything that reeks of guilt. However there is another lot, suffering from self-blame and an internal locus of control, that stay mired in the past, gazing at closed doors and broken dreams, unable to break out of the circle of their disappointments. Like Lot's wife, given their tenacious hold on the past, they get transformed into pillars of nothingness - exchanging their present for wispy memories of the past.

Tenacity is what's under discussion today - speaking of which, usually within minutes of coming into contact with me, people describe this quality as a commendable trait of mine. Unflattering images of an unyielding rottweiler is what used to strike me first, however lately I have learnt to populate my mind with the more appealing likes of the acorn-obsessed sabre-toothed squirrel Scrat, my Ice-age peer. Ah well I am digressing.....anyway what I would like to talk about is how this very quality may become somebody's rue.

This otherwise Samsonian trait can become debilitating in circumstances hindering people to move on, where every cell of their physiological and psychological make-up cries to them to hold on to the very situation that no longer works for them. Their very tendency to see things to closure might leave them conducting post-mortem analysis and bogged down in the quagmire of the past. By lacking the walk-away power, do they lose their objectivity or is it vice-versa, well maybe we are talking about a "chicken and egg" paradox here!!! Their inability to segue into changing circumstances only signals the slow demise of any kind of control they might have over their lives. Besides their very fugue like state might not be off any consolation to the crowds cheering on the sidelines.

What do we have to say to such people who, if I may borrow a phrase from a smart acquaintance of mine, refuse to stop picking at the threads of the material of the past? Well, if I know the answers to such million dollar questions, I would be minting money from copies of self-therapy books sold instead of slaving over a blog that hardly anyone reads :)

However for those out there who find living a struggle with the challenges that life throws your way and slide into depression as a result of broken dreams and broken relationships, there are souls who empathize with you, but still it is in your hands to take the first steps towards recovery. When you choose not to take your eyes off lost opportunities and unresolved issues, you miss the small slivers of silver lining that comes your way. Beat the blues, discover the courage to say "I can change" - learn to give up on people who gave up on you, on situations that leech your strength - after all the ones who matter are still there for you, patiently waiting for you to turn that corner. Mental illness is no longer a stigma in the society - described routinely as an epidemic, it is racing neck to neck with other debilitating diseases in human history. Support is available for those who need it - recognise the signs, look around and reach out for help.

Your battles against crippling depression might not be written in history, your battle scars might not win you accolades or medals for bravery, but to those around you - especially your near and dear ones, you matter and your life does. Do not let the black hound of depression and melancholia steal your life and cut short your lifeline prematurely; instead use your God-given strength of tenacity to work to your benefit - cling onto positive thoughts - after all happiness is an attitude of mind that can be practiced and learnt.

- Dedicated to the millions out there battling the blues of life everyday - your silent pleas of help are being heard !!! If anyone out there reading this blog comes across a person suffering from depression, take it upon yourself to give them a helping hand - a small selfless act of kindness on your part can do wonders in people's lives. Who knows you might have given them a new lease on life?