Dear Cristi

A brilliant guy told me to write TO people if I wanted to improve my writing- so this is my attempt.

Dear Cristi,

You wrote me an email, after reading some of my recent blog entries, and asked me if I was still sad. Honestly, I had to think back to what you were referring to- then I remembered my <last blog entry>.

To be honest, these moments happen rarely now. I remember when I was living in Seattle/Edmonton/Madison (and sometimes even Baltimore) where I would get depressed and mull over these feelings and dwell and sink lower into my depression like a sand pit on a golf course. Each stroke I would take to get myself out of the pit (of despair) would dig me deeper- farther from the glorious sunshine (or happiness.. whichever).

But here- there’s too much new-ness. Too much awesomeness that I can’t dwell and sink. There’s “too much muchness” (as an aussie said to me the other day) to even be bothered on the small stuff/annoyances that later turn into depression.

How could I dwell on depression? How could I even THINK of sad things? All I felt was that I’m going to Panama, I SHOULD HAPPY! so I’m going to be (damnit!)

I don’t necessarily have the answer to depression. Someone much wiser than me (Suzanne, I’m looking at you!) said there is a trifecta of solutions:

1)   diet

2)   exercise

3)   being social.

For me- #3 is traveling… or doing something that I haven’t done before… or doing stuff that scares me. Because when you’re scared, you’re learning. And when you’re learning, you’re growing. And when you’re growing- you are enjoying yourself because everyone likes to grow/advance/Level UP! So therefore- when you’re doing something you enjoy, you are rarely depressed.

So – no. I’m not sad. 🙂 I’m traveling.

Love,

LN