Lida Berghuis

Feeling Fortunate but Awful! Lida Berghuis

Anyone who knows me for any length of time will notice my loud belly laugh. You can hear it from across the room. I don't chuckle... I laugh out loud! I'm an extrovert. Why am I sharing this with you? Because I'm the last person you would think would go through a depression. Depression does not discriminate. It doesn't care if you are young or old. It doesn't care if you are brown or white. It doesn't care if you are rich or poor. It doesn't care if you are an introvert or an extrovert. The poems in this book were written during a twelve year period, and then put together in a manner similar to a collage, to take you on a journey from the darkness of depression to the light of healing. The aim of this book is to better understand depression, which affects millions of people and is still misunderstood. There are lessons learned in self care that I share which can apply to any one of us. I write about friendship, authenticity and setting limits for oneself. I also discuss the role of creativity and prayer in healing. And finally, I reflect on the value of challenges in our growth and development. "We need more of this kind of literature to help increase awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues." - Dr. Lora Moller