In my youth, I, too, had reached this precipice of which I believed there was no return. Before I threw myself deep into the abyss, I reached out to someone as a last-ditch effort of hope. I was rewarded with love, and acceptance, therefore saving and changing my life forever.
Depression is a non-discriminating, insidious and ravenous monster waiting to strike when we are at our most vulnerable. During these dark times, we must defiantly fight back against its clutches as though our life depends on it—because it does.
It is in these battle-weary moments, through the numbing and disorienting pain, we need to do our ready best to remember hope is not an elusive concept, but rather a reality born of asking for help, trusting, and reaching out to our friends, family and loved ones when despair is the seemingly inescapable hole in which we have fallen.
Love exists in the darkness, even when we cannot see or feel it. To fully experience its restorative power and healing effect, it is incumbent upon us to explore our pain, but know we need not suffer it alone. Isolation and loneliness are the pervasive bedfellows of depression that work in destructive harmony to show us the doorway of which there is no return to this earthly plane.
Life is to be cherished and shared. The decision to live it through the agonizing murk and madness is the decision we often cannot see when obscured by the unrelenting sadness of our hearts. Yet, no matter how far and wide the dark shadows of desperation may reach, there is always a hand to reach out to our hand, a heart to touch our heart, and a soul to see our soul.
When asked, faith always welcomes being our eternal companion of support until the cavalry of humanity arrives to embrace us—nurturing us in love and acceptance—no matter how horrid or ugly our anguish.
Please know you matter. You are seen. You are heard. You are loved. You are resilient more than you know. So with courage and an open heart, please allow hope and faith to be the ever-blooming flowers of rejuvenation basking and thriving in the light of your precious life.
© Anthony J.W. Benson
