You Are Not Alone

If you look around the world, you may notice that a lot of people are becoming more and more depressed. Some of this depression is triggered by financial problems, relationship problems, abuse, and some are simply because they don't feel that they fit in. The people that suffer from depression, often try and find a release for that stress. Unfortunately, some of these "solutions" are very dangerous. Cutting and suicide are some of the more serious ones. And, although solitude seems great, it does the same amount of harm. People who have depression may think that they are alone, and that the only thing left to do is harm themselves. This is not true, though. It is important for those with this mindset to realize that there are better, more effective solutions to getting rid of your depression. Let them know they can turn to you and let them know you will be waiting, arms wide open, and ready to help. Reassurance is a priceless gift to someone who needs your comfort.

"Many of us spend our whole lives running from feeling with the mistaken belief that you cannot bear the pain. But you have already borne the pain. What you have not done is feel all you are beyond that pain."

This is a quote by Kahlil Gibran that I found very inspirational. All we need to do, is give hope to those who have even the slightest hint of depression. It is always important to be there for them. To help them realize that they have so much to live for, and by doing the things that they could be doing to harm themselves, it is not making their situation any better. They need to know that they are so much more than they give themselves credit for. We can never leave those people alone because if we do, things may go to far, and our help is no longer effective. Show them the love that they need.

When Drinks Consume You

During my long and full 17 years, 51 weeks, and 6 days of life, I have seen many situations where people have had a strong addiction to alcohol. Not only is it not healthy, but it is also sad. Many people who are addicted to alcohol often cannot see that it is harmful to them, until it's too late. Plus, it not only affects the person, but it affects the people they know, people around them, and people that they don't even know. What they don't know, is that while they are drinking, life is slipping by them. They are so obsessed with their alcohol and feel that they need it so badly, that they forget what is really important. They waste their money for a temporary "happiness, when they could be saving to get a better job, or to support their family.

"If you need an excuse for why you don't drink alcohol, you could say that addiction runs in your family and you don't want to try it even once because you may not stop until you are dead in a puddle of your own vomit or smashed into the side of a mini-van with children's body parts scattered around your corpse."

~Duane Alan Hahn

Although this seems grotesque and hard to think about, these are real live situations that happen to thousands of people every day. This is the cold hard truth. The Japanese Proverbs states, "First the man takes a drink; then the drink takes a drink; then the drink takes the man." I believe this to be true because a lot of the time, it only takes one. One sluff. One cigarette. One drink. That's all it takes for everything to change in the blink of an eye.

Fun without challenge, without inner satisfaction, often comes from surrogate motivators influencing one's actions and perceptions. More often than not, something like this is considered "fun" because it is a lack of "pain", be it social, physical, or psychological pain. For example, if you are programmed with social expectations that drinking and partying are key steps in securing one's self-worth, and that not having a bar life makes one lame and unaccepted, then one can squander away much of life in a drunken stupor, blissfully thinking all is fun with this programmed lifestyle.

~Montalk

P.S. I love you, Uncle Jason. Please think about life and how you can better yourself. And always remember, I love you and so do a lot of people.

Live Life To The Fullest

When making certain decisions, people often refer to the saying, "you only live once..." What they do not look at is the last part: "...but if you do it right, once is enough." (Quote by Mae West) Throughout my years in school, I have heard this quote spoken when people are talking about whether or not to have sex or do some other crazy thing. In order to live a full life, you have to do the things that you won't feel guilty admitting to someone you look up to or someone you are trying to impress. It' good to do crazy things, but not things you can possibly get in trouble for doing. If you live your life to the fullest, you should have no regrets. You should be happy with how your life went, and not just satisfied that it wasn't horrible. I recently found a quote by Oscar Wilde that says, "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."  I believe this to be true because you can either do what you have to to get by, or you can take the high road and make it worth your while. You have to live life to some extent anyway, so why not make it amazing in the process?

Albert Einstein once said, "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." This quote is similar to the one about looking at the glass as half full, instead of half empty. Be positive because it makes life more fun and exciting. Plus, it is easier to be happy when you are positive instead of down and pessimistic. Try to not take things for granted. Be grateful for what you have.

Many people associate wealth with money, and not with life. Living life to the fullest is a great way to show you're wealthy. Life is not always about being a millionaire or becoming the next top model. It is about doing what makes you happy and being all that you want to be. That is what will make you the richest person in the world, even if you only have one penny to your name.