November 10, 2020

How To Win At Depression

or

How To Not Let Depression Win

before you begin

you must know that this will

Not. Be. Easy.

a worthwhile fight rarely is

there’s no finish line

the enemy will not acknowledge defeat

no medal or accomplishment

will be awarded by a panel of judges

and definitely not one of participation

there will be no crowd

to loudly proclaim your victory

celebrate your triumph over this foe

but that’s OK

you don’t have to defeat it

defeat was never part of the deal

you just have to not let it defeat you

which, though difficult, takes just one step

just

keep

breathing

… in … out … in … out … in …

as long as you’re breathing it can’t win

and even more importantly

as long as you’re breathing you can’t lose

now, on to the next step

be warned though, here’s where it gets tough

depression wants to grab you

hold you, clutch you more closely than a lover,

but more concerned to strangle your joy

than a lover will be to enhance it

but even in its cold embrace

if you can know that joy remains

like you can know that the sun remains

even on an overcast and rainy day

you can remember that depression can only obscure

what you can know is always there

even when clouds obscure the sun

you know by the light in your window

the sun has never left

is always there, though silent

on even the darkest of days

so, go find your joy, look at it

stare at it and know

the darkness that cloaks your life

is but a phantom trying to cloud the joy

made all the more real in the finding