As I write this entry, a lot of children are starting back for a new school year. Of course, this can bring about a myriad of emotions and thoughts. Some kids are no doubt super excited about starting a new year, while other kids are not really looking forward to it. Some love the idea of learning new things, and others do not seem to be interested. But, no matter what a child feels, if they are in school this time of year can be thought of as a new beginning. A new grade. A new set of challenges. A new set of opportunities.
For people suffering with depression, new school years probably do not mean a whole lot, but the possibilities for new beginnings are still available. If someone is in recovery from their depression, there is a new beginning based in that recovery. Even if a person doesn’t get better for a very long time, there are new beginnings in terms of the “new normal” of living with depression. And, like school, having depression or caring for someone with depression brings with it an education. Lots of life lessons are learned, and sometimes they are things we don’t want to learn. However, sometimes there are lessons learned that in hindsight are potentially very helpful to know.
So, as many people begin a new school year, I think it is a great time to reflect on beginnings and on what you may hope to learn in the future, particularly when it comes to depression. How can new beginnings be established? Is there a way to recognize new beginnings? What can we learn from depression, if anything? What lessons can we share with others? I think that if possible, learning from depression and sharing it with others can be an important experience.