Act Now!
Don’t Delay!
This post is for a friend who is as perceptive as he is humorous. Yes, Mr. Petruska, that’s a compliment.
No Time For Kings hasn’t really been banned. It was reviewed here way back in 2013 when the world was merely simmering. Now that we are experiencing a full-blown meltdown, it’s time to get your hands on a copy of his book so that Mr. Petruska will feel the heat and get busy on the sequel. We all need a nudge now and then to let our light shine.
I was nudged toward a realization this week.
When I say nudged, I don’t mean like when you’re waiting in line, daydreaming that you are a brilliant human on the brink of a making the world a better place. You’re about to step on stage to give your TedTalk when suddenly, an urgent tap on the shoulder forces you to take notice that the line has moved. Better close that three foot gap before some stealthy line budger slips into that space and ruins your day. Has this ever happened to you? I bet it did before staying six feet apart in public became necessary.
The kind of nudge I’m talking about was a friendly reminder to speak my mind in the way that only I can. In other words, be authentic and share what I know to be true. Here goes. Depression is relentless, as deadly as any virus humanity has ever encountered. Depression is often perceived as a bad attitude to be shrugged off. Depression cannot be cured by some cautionary tale about slippery slopes easily avoided if only we focus on the positive. Depression is where the Devil’s careless mistress, resourceful in pursuit of satisfying appetites, will drag you down that slippery slope into a pit so deep not even a well-crafted hashtag campaign could rally enough support to pull you out.
Is depression a symptom of humanity’s dissatisfaction with modern society? Is it a global plague that afflicts body and soul? I don’t know. For certain, the stigma of mental illness is alive and well. The disgusted look on the face of someone you trust with your story is a particularly difficult part of experiencing depression and why so many people hide their struggle. I don’t have all the answers. I’ve learned that ignoring it, hoping that it will magically disappear doesn’t work. Disguising the pain doesn’t work. You don’t have to take my word for it. Countless suicides of those seemingly with everything to live for have left us with ample evidence. Perhaps a good first step would be to create an economy less dependent on shipping everything from raw materials to our garbage across the ocean and reduce the energy we expend in the accumulation of things that have no lasting value.
What do you think?
Honie Briggs 
Beyond the astute observations, and a book that looks intriguing… StepHonie…. WOW!!! ♥
First off, thank you for banning my book! With friends like you, who needs marketing campaigns? This is brilliant and I appreciate your assistance in helping me sell a few more copies of the novel. Now I feel more compelled than ever to start that sequel, so maybe we both needed a kick in the pants.
Depression is a tricky topic for sure. I knew somebody once who suffered from it, and the way she described it always resonated with me: she said it was like being trapped in a glass box, able to see the “normal” world outside, but unable to reach out and touch it.
I’ve got a hammer if you need help chipping away at that glass…
There is nothing a hammer can’t fix!
Nailed that reply.
Dear StepHonie,
At present I’d say there’s a better chance of finding a cure for the common cold. I can say, been there, done that and lived to tell about it. It hurts to know so many have succumbed. There’s no one size fits all. Well thought out article. May your day be filled with contentment and shalom.
Rochelle
Dear Rochelle,
I love the way you spell my name. You seem to be the only person who gets it. You’re right, there is no one size fits all solution on the market, YET. Hurricanes from the South, wildfires from the West and the usual shit storm out of the East. What’s to worry about? Every day has its own challenges. Today I choose contentment. Thank you for that kindness. Oh, and laughter, check out this hilarious post on storyform.com Cat Propaganda shared by another dear blogger acflory .