You try so hard and get nowhere. You are not good at this. You will never be good enough. No one cares about you. If you died today they wouldn’t miss you. You aren’t special in any way. You are just white noise. Nobody loves you. You are alone. These are the types of harsh, cold words that race through your mind when you sink into the dark pit of depression.

Chronic depression doesn’t just go away with medicine and encouragement.

Sleeping in an African game park thrilled me as a young college graduate. My youthful stupidity allowed me to get out of the car alone and walk into a viewing deck that overhung a watering hole, where I observed zebra, wildebeest, and giraffe. Imagine my delight to see the king of the jungle up-close and dangerous.

We expect a lion to kill. It boldly prowls because it cannot hold back the insatiable desire to eat red meat. Yet, watching one lick a carcass put fear into my peaceful morning after a restful night of listening to a wildlife lullaby.