5 Lessons

Hey! Alyson here.

During this whole process of dealing and living with depression, I have learned a lot of lessons. These are my top 5:

 

1. Family is the most important thing in the world.

     During my most trying times, I have learned that family is of the utmost importance. When I was admitted to the hospital down in St. George, as soon as my mom heard the news, she dropped everything and made the four hour drive to be by my side. She ended up living with me for three weeks, sleeping in my bedroom for two of them. My relationship with my parents has gotten so much better, so much closer, and I don't know where I would be without them. I want to thank them for everything they have done for me, and everything that they continue to give me.

     I also want to thank my extended family. They have all told me how proud they are of me, and remind me constantly that I am loved by so many people. Thank you.

 

2. Love is not worth your life.

     I learned this one the hard way, obviously. I was trying everything in my power to show this person that I loved so much, that I loved them. I almost gave up my life to prove it, and I hear so many stories about young people ending their lives because a relationship ends. It breaks my heart because I know how they feel; that sometimes it hurts so bad that you don't even want to live with it. But I just want to say that you CAN and you WILL survive it. Just keep holding on. The heartbreak goes away. It may take a very long time, but it gets better.

     "There is a time and a place for committing to someone that strongly," my therapist told me. "and I don't want you giving up on love. But next time, if it ends, don't throw your life at it."

 

3. The human spirit is stronger than you think.

     It amazes me every single day how broken the spirit can get, and how it can come right back from it. It took me a long time to feel how I do today, and I still have a long way to go, but to look back six months from now and see how I've changed... I am amazed. This I owe to my Savior, Jesus Christ. If you will come to Him humbly, having faith in His plan and in His power, He will heal you. He will carry you through anything.

 

4. Beauty comes from breaking.

     There is a quote from the movie "Eat. Pray. Love." that I adore:

     "Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation."

     Once something, even a person, is broken down until you are only your core self, you can start to build up from nothing. You can recreate yourself. You can become anything you want to be. You can be a stronger, more profound person that you once were. Like she said, ruin is a gift.

 

5. True friends will never leave you.

     Depression, to many people, is too scary to deal with. Many people don't want to deal with someone who has depression, and so they choose to leave; they choose to walk away. I have seen this in my own life, and I have lost a lot of people because of this mental illness. But I have also seen friends come to my aid in the most tender of ways. I have found out who really cares about me, and who was just pretending. I want to thank all of the people (you know who you are) who have loved me and accepted me just the way I am, depression included. I love you, and I will never be able to thank you enough for being there for me.

 

So, there you have it! Happy First Day of Spring!