Writing Exercise to Cope With Depression

By Merely Me Thursday, June 17, 2010

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The Midweek Muse

A little inspiration to get over the hump...

Hey everybody

It is Thursday and since I missed posting yesterday I thought I would post my midweek muse today. If you have never joined us for our midweek muse here is what it is about. I post a theme and members get to use their talents of creative expression to explore that them. You can post a poem, an image, a stream of consciousness writing, song lyrics, or anything which suits your fancy.

One form of creative expression that I use to ward off depression is to write. It allows me to get all those feelings out in a productive and safe way. Your primary mode of expression may be dancing, singing, song writing, painting, and the list goes on and on. The point is to find something you love to do which gives you an emotional outlet.

The theme this week is: Mystery

I am not talking about the who dunnit type of mystery. I am talking about those mysteries in life which make one pause in awe and wonder. Things like the endless night sky, the tiny heartbeat of a baby on a sonogram, or the hypnotic sound of the ocean. Mystery includes all those things we can examine and analyze scientifically but they still cause us to feel something deeper...some sort of connection with the universe and why we are here.

These mysteries of life are things we tend to block out during a depression. We can't feel the breeze coming in through the screen door, we can't appreciate a beautiful sunset, or enjoy the fragrance of our favorite flower. Depression causes us to turn inward and darken our senses to the amazing world out there. Depression is when there is no mystery left. We no longer care to explore.

So...I want to invite you to write about your favorite wonders, mysteries, or elements in life which make you feel connected to life and humanity.

I have written something myself which I will share with you.

The Mystery of It All

There are some things we just cannot wrap our mind around.

And so the world will always offer us mystery.

That urge to explore will always be a part of the human condition. As much as we are technologically advanced we are still so limited in our knowledge of the world and its surroundings. We are still captivated as adults by the vastness of the ocean or the infiniteness of space. There are whole worlds we do not know even after so much time spent looking out to the sea or to the stars.

Take for example, the sea. Did you know that the earth's largest mountain range, highest mountain, most spectacular waterfall, and deepest valley lie in the ocean? True. Yet we don't think about it much as this world is unseen to most of us. And there is life even at the bottom of the ocean floor miles and miles beyond what we can fathom. Creatures we had not known existed live and die down in those murky depths, a world unknown to us.

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Comments (21) | Add comment

Donna-1

6/17/10 8:10pm

When I noticed one day that the sky was suddenly blue after years of being gray, and that there were individual green spikes of grass, and a flowering tree branching out overhead, I knew I was getting better.

When the Hubble Space Telescope was finally in place and working as planned, the astronomers decided to study one small area for 37 hours. So one held a needle at arm's length and they studed the area they could see through the eye of this needle. In 37 hours, they counted over 5,000 galaxies in that tiny bit of space. Can you believe that? I heard that on an NPR radio interview this last week and thought it was astounding.

Donna

Merely Me

6/18/10 5:54pm

That is amazing Donna...I can't conceive of it really. It is something beyond comprehension. We are like these little ants...not even ants...in the scheme of things. Somehow it makes me feel better.

Thanks for sharing this.

mr. q

6/17/10 10:53pm

The moment that I realized I was a part of this world was when I rededicated my life to Christ. I am not trying to push my religion; however, it is a strong part of my recovery.

To a great degree my life was filled with misery. Nothing--family, friends, job, or medication--could remove the burden I carried for so long. In 2002 I gave my life to Christ, yet I still held on to my pains, encouraging them to fester. It was not until this year that I really began to look at my life, and truly desired to obtain a more permanent change.

One day a church I went up to the alter, and prayed a simple prayer. I don't remember what I exactly said; however, I remember hearing a voice. It was real soft--but firm: "Come closer to me." That was all the voice said. As cliche as it sounds chills ran through my body. The following Sunday I rededicated my life, and gave my burdens to Christ.

The road has not been easy. I am still fighting on, releasing burdens along the way. Even during those dark times I know--with conviction--that I am not alone.

Sincerely,

Mr. Q

Merely Me

6/18/10 5:57pm

Hey Mr. Q...I have heard such things from others. I believe you. I do think that some sort of faith...doesn't have to be religion...but some sort of faith and philosophy...can help.

Feel free to tell us more of your journey. We are glad you are here.

Donna-1

6/18/10 8:20pm

I am a born-again Christian, too. I'm glad we are not expected to know the ways of God although we are supplied with the Word of God as a daily guide. It is difficult to live the Christian life. But at least when I fail I have a true faith that I am forgiven. And I believe there is a heaven and hope to see you there.

Judy

6/17/10 11:20pm

This makes me think about the time, four years ago, that a friend of mine died quite suddenly and unexpectedly. Four days before that, she had called me at work and left me a Happy Birthday message. On the night she died, not knowing she was even ill, I called her to thank her and her aunt answered the phone and said that my friend was sick and couldn't come to the phone. So, I just told her to tell my friend that I had called.

Exactly one week later, probably near the time that she had died, my phone rang in the middle of the night and when I looked at the Caller I.D., it was someone with her last name, which is not a common one. I thought maybe it was one of her relatives going through her address book, but no, whoever it was hung up. It was a local number and she had no family living here. I couldn't help but think that it was my friend "calling" me back. I've heard that sometimes spirits will do that.

I've had several other things like this happen to me. I even think of the people who have come into my life when I've needed something in particular - that has seemed miraculous. There's a lot of psychic power flowing around if we pay attention; we're able to communicate in ways we sometimes don't realize.

sioux

6/18/10 12:59pm

Dear Judy, what a phenominal story!! I too believe there is a lot of psychic energy surrounding us. We just need to keep ourselves open to it. I always used to have my Mom play the song "Satin Doll" for me on the piano, I don't think anybody else knew about it. Now my Mom has been dead for 14 yrs., but a couple of wks. ago I was listening to a message on my cell phone from a number that I could see on the phone but the recording said I had 2 messages, well I listened to the first one which was my son, ok? The second message was just a piano playing Satin Doll, nothing else, no number to refer to or nothing just the song. That just blew me away! But I never doubted for one moment that it was my Mom just stopping to say "Hi". It was very comforting. Thank you for sharing your story and by the way, how"s that Grandbaby of yours? Mine turns 21 on Sunday oh how time flies. Sioux.

Judy

6/18/10 2:07pm

Thanks for sharing that, Sioux. Phenomena like these kind of blow your mind, don't they?

My grandbaby is 20 months old and is talking more every time we see him. I wish he could stay at this stage for a few years! He really likes coming over here now and he's really good about not getting into stuff. How long that will last, I don't know!

Anyway, thanks again for the story - that's even eerier than mine!

Merely Me

6/18/10 6:01pm

That is something Judy

It does make you wonder.

There are some thing that...maybe it is just good to accept. Some sort of message.

Thanks you for telling us about your experience.

Exodus

6/18/10 12:43am

A mystery indeed. An emotional downward spiral brought me to this site a few days ago and I’ve been reading the many posts from the good people here and some are going through such difficulties it has made me ashamed to even consider what I’m going through to be something worthy of needing help, but here I am. Some of the posts are enough to make your heart explode while others are beautifully inspiring. I suppose life was never meant to be easy, an easy life would also be an unfulfilled life in my opinion. As a Jew my Christian friends would ask why I thought God allowed the Holocaust to occur. Without getting into the theological aspects of that event which ultimately boils down to the behavior of a depraved dictator with an iron fist, in my opinion God wants to see the triumph of the human spirit. This is ultimately why I believe we are here. Even in horrific and difficult circumstances there are acts of colossal humanity, kindness, courage, honor and love. It is in these moments that we triumph; the effort to do what is right is the triumph.

Donna, you are describing (Ultra Deep Field) what is considered to be the most important image taken in human history. The Milky Way alone has 500 thousand million galaxies. The numbers are beyond human comprehension or appreciation. From the most powerful microscopes that have peeled back the human cell revealing an engineering superstructure to the mindboggling images from the Hubble telescope, we are witnessing the power of God.

A link to an excellent 6 min video on the ultra deep field…………… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcBV-cXVWFw

Exodus

6/18/10 12:44am

Sorry about that. Delete the comment and I will repost it.

Paul

6/18/10 6:34am

Sorry but I have to disagree a little, the Milky Way is one galaxy, it contains 200-400 billion stars.

Exodus

6/18/10 12:07pm

Paul, I realized the mistake after I posted the comment. You are right, it is stars within the galaxy. The 500 thousand million figure was mentioned in the video. 200-400 billion stars within the Milky Way does seem to be a common quantity among astronomers. Hopefully the Expert's here will delete the script mess that preceded the comment.

Paul

6/18/10 1:43pm

Exodus, They might do it, or they might not, it's a common thing, almost everyone here has had this happen to them. I've had a few... :)

So you needn't worry too much, you are in good company.

For me, I found I can't copy and paste from Microsoft Outlook, and maybe Word, to the comment box here, the gibberish seems to happen every time I do. I still forget from time to time, and it happens to me once more.

Merely Me

6/18/10 7:26pm

Hey Exodus

This sometimes happens with comments...I am sorry this happened. I could delete it but then everything would go with it. I think your comment was beautiful and I am glad you are here. I hope you write more.

Exodus

6/19/10 12:51pm

Thank you for the welcome, Merely Me. I felt like I walked into someone's house with muddy boots on with that first post of mine; and it was due to copying text from Word into the comment box. Ironically I did the same a few days ago with my first comment and the website recognized the cut&paste and adjusted it, a very cool feature, but it didn't happen this time around.

LyraStorm

6/18/10 7:39am

For me a place that opens my eyes, a place full of mystery and yet a calm connectedness that makes me feel like I belong even as I wonder, is the Australian bush.

Going out amongst the trees and the rock formations, beating your way through overgrown paths and watching all sorts of bird life and insect activity and everything that brings that whole world alive... it just gives me a chance to breath and connect and stops me for a moment, getting me right out of my head, and often it is like I see what is around me properly for the first time in a long time.

Sometimes I wish that when the English came to Australia they adopted the Aboriginal way instead of imposing their way onto the natives. I mean logically it wouldn't work - we couldn't live off the land in such great numbers, moving about the way they did, hunting and gathering... but that sort of love and connectiveness the Aborigines had with this great land... I envy that. When I go into the bush I feel like I feel the very beginnings of that connectedness and part of me longs to get a more indepth relationship with the place... but then modern life beckons again and I have to return to the 'real world'.

Ah, such is life... I like enjoying those moments whilst they last though.

jpw2008

6/18/10 10:57am

hi lyra

I agree with you

Before the europeans came to america.

The native americans didnt abuse the land

Pride and self-importance brought about a mess

The europeans could have foud peace

Jon

Merely Me

6/18/10 7:28pm

That is really cool Lyra...

I would love to hear more. Thanks for sharing your inspiration for feeling connected. That is really special.

Anonymous

6/18/10 9:46pm

For me I would hate to have any contact w/the departed (esp. father & mother) as finally I am free from them & their abuse. I shudder to think of having any contact--living w/them was enough...

The Wise One

5/ 1/12 10:37am

I woke up one morning, tears filled my eyes. My heart was racing. I was happy in the inside. I looked in the mirror and I saw a familiar face, not the one I've seen over the years. It was me, the old me, the new me, the better me. It seem as if I was delusional or hearing voices. It could have been my mind subconsciously. That person spoke out to me. Welcome back, I've missed you!

Writing Exercise to Cope With Depression

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