Today we talk happiness

**The Inspiration for this post came from a friend.  She knows who she is**

I have a confession to make.  It's probably something that a lot of you have probably figured out from me by now.  If not then it's okay.  I try my hardest to hide it in the darkest recesses of my mind.  Whenever I have to think about it, it's only in the moments that it plagues my life like the black that killed people in Europe during the mid 1300's.  I, like most of the people I tend to associate my time with, have depression.  Unlike the plague that killed so many people, this can't spread from person to person.  It's impact on my life however, can sometimes be quite severe.  I've been thinking a lot lately about happiness.  Where does it come from?  How does one find it?  I believe that everyone in the world deserves to be happy.  I also believe that there are things in the world that can provide you with happiness.  But, talk to a depressed person on the brink of a depressive episode and they probably won't be able to tell you the last moment that they were truly happy.  Everyone deserves to be truly happy.  But, to them it's something that is missing in their lives.  Things will make them happy.  A new child being born, getting married, getting a raise...etc will all make them feel happy.  But, this only lasts for a brief flash.  On the inside they are full of emotions, that at times, they can't even begin to describe.  They want to share them.  They want help but don't know how anyone can actually help them when they can't really help themselves.

Why am I writing this, you might be asking yourself?  Am I just throwing myself a pity party?  No.  I'm writing this because I'm tired of depression being tossed to the side like trash.  I'm tired of people treating others who have depression like they have the plague.  Everyday people hide behind masks, fearing the ridicule they will face if they show their true face.  They hide because they don't feel like there is any help out there.  They feel like no one will actually listen to them, or that anyone will understand what they are going through.  Everyone deserves happiness.

-Jeremy-