A Visual Journey of Grace: Sometimes its the simplest things...

Making the bed; simple, repetitive, generally monotonous. That's how I would describe making the bed. I have not been good at making my bed daily. There are a lot of things that I have not been consistent in "doing" for some time. Depression does that to you. Depression sings the song of "What's the Point?" all day long in my head some days. There are days that become weeks that turn into months that I hum right along.

For those of you who are blessed not to suffer from depression, let me give you a little insight into the lives of those of us who do suffer from it. Yes, suffer is the right word. No, I'm not exaggerating. Depression isn't a choice that you make. In the same manner, you can't simply choose to not be depressed. Did you know that some of the happiest people you encounter, could actually be suffering with depression? Just because someone may look happy on the outside, doesn't mean that everything is how it should be on the inside. In the same way that the flu can manifest itself differently from one person to the next, so too can depression. What causes depression? The causes are as unique as the person struggling with it.

In my life depression has manifested due to some significant traumas and losses that I sustained over a period of time. The death of my mother was the real tipping point for me. One of the lies that the depression told me was that I was broken and I wouldn't survive this. As my friend Angie reminded me today, I have a 100% track record of success when it comes to surviving. I like that perspective. Remember, how I said that people can't choose not to be depressed? While you can't choose not to be depressed, you can choose to do small things, simple things to make you feel better. Little success to build upon.

Today's small steps began with making my bed. Yup, just making my bed. I have a beautiful bed. I love my sheets and I really love my comforter set and all my pillows (there are quite a few). When I visited my friend Holly in Virginia last fall, her made bed inspired me. It is gorgeous! Holly's whole house is gorgeous, a reflection of the person who decorated it, but I digress. At any rate, I realized that my bed wasn't beautiful or inviting. Holly fixed that. Now I have a bed that I love to make every day. Small steps.

I am so blessed. I have these amazing friends in my life that lift me up. They encourage and support me. My friend Claudia has suffered some of the same losses as I have and she's farther along on this road that I find myself on. You know what though? She encourages me everyday. She chooses to allow me to talk and process out loud without trying to fix where I'm at, even if it brings up some pain for her. Holly is my home away from home. She is my run away destination. Angie is my cheerleader. These are just three of the many women in my life that are walking the road of life with me.

Another thing that depression has done is to cloud my vision of God. Sometimes I struggle to see Him as good. Today I see His goodness in the friends (many not named here) that choose to be in my life. Little things, just like making the bed.