How to Ease Your Depression in Three Easy-to-Remember Steps...Or is it Two...

At times in life, many of us struggle with depression. It's a cruel condition which arises, at least for me, in part from a lack of effective coping skills. *It can be difficult to overcome, but together, you and I should be able to do so with some practice.

I saw this great article Friday, about how to rid yourself of depression in three easy steps. It might have been four easy steps, but I only recall three...unless the last two were actually one which I separated into two, which in that case, means, here below are two of three, or three of four easy-to-remember steps.

Anyway, they have been so helpful the last few days; I thought I should pass these precious jewels on to my readers, family and friends:

Now. I shall assist you in ridding yourself of that pesky condition which we call Depression. Here goes:

1. Count your blessings. When you awake, think of at least a half a dozen things to be grateful for. There are so many things to be thankful for here in the US. Running water, fresh air, trees. Family, friends, transportation. I can honestly think right off the bat of 50 things, and more if I try harder. First, I'm thankful for all my family. Of course, there's my hubby. He's family, but I like to count him at least twice. I'm thankful for Geraniums, and even my poor roses with the black spot and the two unidentified viruses. I'm also thankful for my dogs who are an ever present source of delight, and for all sorts of foods, wine and cheese, starting with spaghetti, and Sauvinon Blanc and moving right into Aged New York Cheddar (and I'm thankful that I finally learned to spell Sauvinon Blanc, thanks to my friend on twitter, who I am also grateful for...or was it Sauvignon?) And Aspirin. And I must not forget nasal strips. I love them!
(Excellent start. I'm feeling better already.)

2. Live in this moment. No regrets from yesterday. Don't think about what you said at the funeral last week that made that lady choke on her cracker. She doesn't know you were his niece. Seriously, if you can't change something, it's not worth worrying about. In addition, No worries about tomorrow. Sun spot flares happen all the time, even during earlier years of the Mayan Calendar. And the chance of being hit by a crashing airplane is slimmer than being struck by lightning, even if you are on the airport landing flight path. Don't worry. Tomorrow will come; it always does. Trust me. So live this moment right where you are starting now - Go!...no, wait...wait...go now...!

3. Observe your surroundings. Relax. Look around. Now that you are living Today, take it all in. (...Are those bills paid? Didn't I call that guy?) NO, NO, NO! Hmm. Leave your computer and go outside. Breathe deeply. Listen to the sounds and smell the fresh air - hear the birds chattering, the people talking, the...is that a plane crashing? No it's just the dumpster guy. Sigh. Moving right along, smell the fresh cut grass. Feel it under your bare feet. Sit down over there on that bench and relax. Think about the bench, how it feels under...Ugh...the grass feels...um...what's that?...It's red clay. Good. Back to feeling the bench under yourself; relax and think about how it feels against your back...(my back/head/neck hurts now...I think I've got a splinter...)

Now you have completed your first attempt to rid yourself of depression. I'm sure you feel better already! I know I do...well; you'll get better at it. This method really works... (and if you saw the article I saw, please send me the link in the comment section, so I won't get sued. I'm getting worried again.)

*My best way of coping with things it to joke about them. But all joking aside, depression can be serious, and if these simple steps don't help and you feel you've lost your joy, talk to your doctor. Depression can be caused by many things, including some health issues, past experiences, loss of loved ones or other personal issues, and even some medications. There are many effective solutions; various therapies, as well as medications. No one deserves depression.

Wolves in Middle-Schooler's Clothing

I'm sure most of you have seen this video of  Karen Klein, the bus monitor who was verbally abused by middle school children. They were cruel, vulgar, crude and even used sexually explicit threats. Their behavior was abhorrent and inexcusable. These bullies should be soundly punished.

"Off With Their Heads", said the Queen!

Kick them off the bus, permanently. Give them in-school suspension as well as summer clean up on the grounds and in the school bathrooms. They deserve to lose a substantial amount of their summer freedom, as I believe that is the only thing that will speak to their savage little brains. Because you know, I have a feeling Karen Klein was not the only victim these mean little monsters have collectively abused. Surely she was just the oldest of their prey.

However, I have been reading many of the comments by readers and watchers of this video, and I was struck by how many people choose to go after the parents of the children in an attempt to find someone to cast the blame and the responsibility upon. This is the coming trend, and I am warning you parents. It could happen to you!

It reminded me of a lynchin'. "Kill them parents, and their devil offspring, too!"

What bothers me most about this, is this arrogant superiority with which the blame is cast upon these parents, though few of us know anything about them or saw how they reacted to viewing the video of their children attacking this poor woman.

Admittedly, I have mixed feelings about this. The first time I watched the video, I immediately thought that the parents must be terrible. I wanted to shake them and accuse them, just like everybody else that was writing in. Then I remembered how shocked I have been in the past when one of my own offspring has done something mean or rude that I taught them from birth never to do.

Having a large family, I have been spared the ignorant bliss of thinking that I, Wondermom of the Universe, am the reason my children are wonderful.

I have had compliant children and rebellious kids, too. I know that the way a kid turns out in the end is what really matters, and that along the way, there may be terrible times when nothing but the grace of God Himself can save them. Thanks to that grace, mine have all turned out to be relatively sane and responsible people, as well as good, loving parents in their own right. I did some things right, but the best thing I did was pray hard, love them through the rough times, and never give up.

These kids in the video are, like so many kids that age, thoughtless, selfish and lacking in self control or direction. Except, perhaps, when their parents are around. Be honest now. Middle school kids are some of the cruelest people on the face of the earth, and it's been that way forever. They are no better than a barnyard full of chickens, attacking the old and the weak. In the barnyard, it's called a "pecking order". On the school yard, it's bullying.

Blame their parents,  if you wish.

Demand they be fined at a time when most of us are struggling to make ends meet. "That'll teach 'em!" Missing their mortgage payment will make them better parents. I am quite sure of it. Their kids will say, "Wowzers! I'm sorry Mummy and Daddy are having a hard time on my account." Of course, the parents will be really mad then. Maybe they will even beat those kids (like some of you wisely suggest) when they get them home. Parents who teach their children to publicly abuse old ladies would never beat their children too much. They would beat them just enough...

And while you're at it, humble those terrible parents, too, like they did in the old days. Where are stocks when we need them? Now that's a practice that should be revived for foolish parents of cruel brats and middle schoolers. Their children will be ashamed of themselves when they see their parents publicly humbled for their sakes.

I have no doubt that most of those parents were mortified when they saw that tape. Surely they didn't teach their kids to behave that way. Any experienced parent of a large family will tell you that some kids are naturally sweet, but most have to be taught to care about others. When even the best behaved children are in with a group of peers, they may succumb to the pack mentality, and like a pack of wolves, pick out the weak and tear them apart, and hate themselves for the rest of their lives for it.

So blame these kids for their own bad behavior. Punish them soundly.

But also blame our society, for fear that overrides common sense, which puts kids in schools all day which can neither punish nor comfort the children. And blame society for its disrespect for people who are less than perfect - like Karen Klein, the overweight are a big target right now...no pun intended... and the mentally ill, the poor, the sick, the other race- whichever it is. And the unborn, especially if they are going to be disabled. Don't forget to toake note of what is tolerated in movies and on the internet. Murder, sarcasm, sexual irresponsibility and all sorts of immorality. 

It's all part of the attitude that created these cruel children.