To be or not to be:

"I worry that something is really broken about our generation, there are so many sad eyes on happy faces." - Atticus

As soon as I read this statement I was shocked by how much it rang true for me. True I had seen so many broken people. Too many pretending to be happy when the eyes betrayed a sadness that was concealed by wide smiles. It bothered me that almost everyone I shared this quote with could identify instantly with it in a very personal way. After all they had also done the same at some point of their life.

What bemused me further though was my parent's reaction. They met my statement with laughter and the usual "You think you have problems?" Followed by the never ending reminder of "When I was your age....."

Although it annoys me quite frequently that every problem of mine is belittled by the horror stories of the older generation, it strikes me that they did have way more severe problems than I currently face. Even more strange is the fact that despite what they had to face they were never depressed, not for a moment did they sit still to rage at the heavens and slip into a catatonic state of sadness. Because they didn't have the luxury of time to determine what they felt. They were too busy trying to survive each day.

They were too busy dealing with real life poverty and daily financial insecurity to worry about whether they were happy or sad. Too busy wondering where their next meal would come from to stop still and consider whether they were having the classic signs of depression. Way too bothered trying to keep every member of their family fed and watered to be emotionally broken. Every trial just sharpened their will and made them even more determined to survive against all odds. Self pity? Throw that to the dogs.

We face none of those problems though. When every physical need has been met to satisfaction only then do we even have the time to think about our emotional needs. And that's whats wrong with our generation. We have everything we could possibly ever want but we are miserable because we have the leisure to wonder whether we are happy or not.

Thinking from this perspective the above quote becomes almost funny. We think we have problems. We kid ourselves. So the next time I feel the onset of depression I'm just going to shake it off and thank God.

For the luxury to feel depressed.