As many of you know, I struggle from time to time with depression and even suicidal thoughts. I was thinking yesterday that the next time I get to feeling that way I would remember very simple things that bring me great joy and tie those to a sensory experience that I can bring up in my mind to remind me of how good life really is to snap me out of those deep foul moods. So here are my 5.
Taste -- The taste of my mother's pecan cookies warm out of the oven. Smell -- The smell of my yard after a spring rain. Sight -- The sight of the North Georgia mountains' fall leaves. Sound -- The heart touching songs from Les Miserables. Touch -- The feel of getting my back scratched by Mitch.
i have no sense of smell - plus - i am hyper-sensitive to solvents - especially strong perfumes and aftershaves - the number of times i appealed to the elders to do something about the hideously overwhelming smell that emanated from that kingdom hall - especially thursday evenings - dripping with expensive (and cheap) manufactured smells they were ... what were they trying to cover up huh ? ... i always went home with a seriously bad headache ...
taste: my grandmother's pot roast. YUMMMMMMY! she passed away about 10 years ago and my mom's pot roast just isn't quite the same as grandma's!
smell: new baby smell. will always remind me of my "surprise" baby brother.
sight: the hundreds and hundreds of trees one sees when driving anywhere in the minneapolis/st paul area. truly beautiful especially in the fall (those way too short two weeks!)
sound: LIVE MUSIC. not any particular band, but just the live part. growing up with a dad who only put his guitar down to eat, i just love the sound of live music. makes me wanna dance!
Joel, I hate to talk shop, on this board, but do you take a really good vitamin and mineral supplement? It has to be a good one, not One-a-Day, or something else you might find at the grocery store. I think you probably ESPECIALLY need minerals. It can be a really simple thing, like a lack of magnesium, or zinc, or chromium. If you do take one, take more. You are a big guy and can probably take double the recommended dosage. Okay? Sorry if you aren't open to that, but I think it would help.
