Happiness

It’s more than just normal sadness.  You can’t just snap out of it.  That much I learned about depression from reading William Styron’s autobiography “A Memoir of Sadness” in the 80s.  I don’t know why I bought that book; I liked his Sophie’s Choice so much that I thought I should read anything Styron.

About the same time, Jaime Ongpin, Cory Aquino’s finance minister and father of a college classmate, killed himself because of clinical depression. That incident made the little-known disorder all too real.

For some, Christmas is not a time of good tidings but of greater sadness.  The material spending, not spending time with loved ones or anyone at all, or spending too much time with loved ones, contributes to holiday depression.  Some can't handle the pressure to be happy, are unable to jump into the holiday cheer.  Sometimes, the sadness just happens for no apparent reason.

I've got several dear friends who are afflicted with perennial grief.  When they talk about it, I usually have nothing helpful to say.  Should I say, this Christmas, reach out to your friends?  Make the connection, have someone by your side, just do something?  Sorry, Ain't got Dr. Phil's virtue of empathy.

Other than "don't forget to take your meds this Christmas", here's what I could offer: watch happy movies.  Not Christmas-themed movies because you wouldn't want to be reminded about being Home Alone or the lack of Love, Actually.                                                       
See Amelie.  This adorable French fable is about a shy waitress who's also little miss sunshine.  She learns that the greatest happiness comes from making other people happy. Maybe that's all it takes.