Depression

Maybe it's post mother's day blues - such a big buildup and then letdown - or something. Or general overwhelmedness of life. Or a symptom of the world in which we live. But more than a few people I know are being hit by depression right now.

My husband has worked with various people to fend off mental illness of various types. His point is that if a snake came into your home, you would hit it with a shovel. You would step on it. You would not just lay there and let it bite you and hurt you or your family.

It's a point well taken. If we can fight a physical threat, we should concentrate and fight a mental threat. We should take arms and do what we can to try to fend off the problems: This can be fought! Prayer, medication, therapy, walking, exercise, healthy diet, a hobby, whatever you can find to trigger the happiness again.

It's sort of what made me love the movie Lars and the Real Girl - Lars actually gets healing from his mental affliction. Sometimes we think that mental issues cannot be beat. But they can be beat.

If you are facing depression or other mental issues, I am very, very sorry. I know how hard these things can be. I think the only person more miserable than someone who is close to a person with mental illness is the person with mental illness themselves. As hard as growing up with a mom with issues was, I know it was even harder to be her, living with the issues.

I encourage you fight it and beat it. Or at least do some big damage. We humans can fight these invisible threats as well as we would physical ones. And progress begins when you start swatting the snake with that shovel. And it can be even more effective if you let God and others help swat the snake along with you.