Attacks in Paris: People Matter

(From BBC News, used w/o permission.)
("The names of victims have started to emerge. Top left to right: Nohemi Gonzalez, Marie Mosser, Djamila Houd. Middle left to right: Juan Alberto Gonzalez, Guillaume Decherf, Nick Alexander. Bottom left to right: Mathieu Hoche, Thomas Ayed, Valentin Ribet"
(BBC News))

"Paris attacks: Who were the victims?"
(November 16, 2015)
"Information about the 129 Paris terror victims has been emerging over the last two days, with France saying more than 103 bodies have now been identified.

"More than 20 foreigners from a number of countries were killed.

"Desperate for any news, relatives and friends of the missing have turned to Twitter to search for their loved ones...."

Another article tells about efforts to find folks who are still missing: either dead, or hospitalized and not able to say who they are. I'll get back to that.

This article gives Djamila Houd's age, and where she was from, but no other details. Marie and Manu's employer had given their personal names, but not their surnames.

A few names from that BBC News article —

"Dado," the nickname of a man killed at the Bataclan. Hugo Sarrade, Cedric Mauduit, Mathieu Hoche, Quentin Boulanger, Guillaume B Decherf, Marie Lausch, Mathias Dymarski, and Lola Salines, had been at the Bataclan, too.

No pressure, and this is just a suggestion: but praying for everyone involved couldn't hurt.

Missing

(From Getty Images, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)
("More than 250 people are seriously wounded and not all have been identified"
(BBC News))

"Paris attacks: Search goes on for missing"
BBC News (November 16, 2015)
"Among the many arresting images from Paris since the Friday attacks was that of the distraught father pleading with French Prime Minister Manuel Valls for news of his missing daughter, Nathalie Jardin.

" 'I don't know where my daughter is,' said Patrick Jardin. 'I don't know if she's still alive or in which hospital she might be.' His daughter had been working at the Bataclan concert hall as a lighting director.

"Confirmation of her death emerged on Monday but the search goes on for several others missing since Islamists opened fire on the Bataclan and several other sites in Paris on Friday night....

"...Hospitals in Paris said in a statement on Monday that of the 80 people admitted in a critical condition, 29 remained in intensive care. Another 49 are still being treated but are no longer in a critical condition.

"One nurse posted a message on Sunday saying that some patients who were not in a critical condition had not been identified and were labelled as 'X'...."

(From Twitter, via BBC News, used w/o permission.)
("People took to Twitter to appeal for the search for Lola Ouzounian to continue" (top left)
"Venezuelans have also been tweeting appeals for Sven Alejander Silva" (Top right)
"For days, appeals have been put out to no avail in search of 17-year-old Remi Suquate" (Bottom left)
"One of the missing was named as Jean-Michel Ovide, the father of a friend" (Bottom center)
"Friends took to Facebook and Twitter to appeal for information about Franck Pitiot" (Bottom right)
(BBC News))

Most folks killed in Paris last Friday were French. Many were young. The BBC News article gave ages for 18 victims: nine in their 20s, five in their 30s, three in their 40s, and a man in his 60s. Many were among the 89 killed at the Bataclan concert hall.

Many folks killed at the Garissa University College in Garissa last April were young, too. It may be easier to feel bad when someone with most of life still ahead dies, and that's another topic.

I think it's wrong to kill folks because they're at a restaurant or rock concert. As I keep saying, murder is wrong. (September 27, 2015; September 6, 2015; April 12, 2015)

Life and Love

Murder is wrong because human beings are people: all human beings. Genesis 1:27 says¹ we're made "in the divine image."

We are rational and therefore like God, made in the image and likeness of God. We have free will. We can decide to act, or not act. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1730-1825)

All humans are people, with equal dignity: no matter where we are, who we are, or how we act. (Catechism, 360, 1700-1706, 1932-1933, 1935)

Deliberately killing an innocent person, is wrong because human life is sacred. Everyone's life is precious. (Catechism, 2258, 2268-2283)

By "everyone," I mean everyone: including the folks who murdered innocent people in Paris.

My faith says that I mus love God, love my neighbors, see everyone as my neighbor, and treat others as I'd like to be treated. (Matthew 5:43-44, 7:12, 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31 10:25-27, 29-37; Catechism, 1789)

At the moment, I don't feel all warm and fuzzy about ISIS leaders and many American governors — I'll get back to that — but I must love them.

That does not mean that I think France should stop acting against ISIS.

Governments are obliged to protect their citizens, citizens have a responsibility to cooperate with their country in its defense — and governments must let citizens who are pacifists serve their country in other ways. (Catechism, 2310-2317)

My faith doesn't require me to let someone kill me. My life is important, too. Interestingly, the rules for individual defense and national defense are very similar: and nowhere near 'I thought he was going to kill me, so I killed him first.' (2263-2267, 2307-2317)

"Love toward oneself remains a fundamental principle of morality. Therefore it is legitimate to insist on respect for one's own right to life. Someone who defends his life is not guilty of murder even if he is forced to deal his aggressor a lethal blow:

If a man in self-defense uses more than necessary violence, it will be unlawful: whereas if he repels force with moderation, his defense will be lawful. . . . Nor is it necessary for salvation that a man omit the act of moderate self-defense to avoid killing the other man, since one is bound to take more care of one's own life than of another's.⁶⁶"

(Catechism, 2264)

The basics are simple: I must love God, my neighbor, and myself. Applying those simple principles gets complicated: or difficult, at any rate:

• " 'All are Equal Before God' — Rights of Humanity and a Right of the Aggressor"
  (August 24, 2014)
  Particularly
  • Terrorism and Options
  • Stopping an Unjust Aggressor

It Could Be Worse

(Screen capture from BBC News video, used w/o permission.)
("Many US states say they will no longer welcome Syrian refugees"
(BBC News))

"Paris attacks: US states halt taking Syrian refugees"
BBC News (November 16, 2015 (November 17 in UK))

"More than a dozen US states say Syrian refugees are no longer welcome due to security fears after the Paris attacks.

"Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan said he was suspending the acceptance of new arrivals until after a review.

"Alabama, Texas and several other states issued similar statements but a State Department spokesman said the legality of this action was still unclear...."

Since a poll showed that 52% of Americans felt 'less safe' with Syrian refugees coming into the United States, I can see why state governors might want to keep those particular foreigners out. There's a major election coming up next year.

Only 17 state leaders had jumped on this bandwagon when the BBC News article came out:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Florida
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• New Hampshire
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Texas
• Wisconsin
  (source: BBC News)

A few hour later, more than half the states were saying 'no' to Syrians seeking refuge here:

• States whose governors oppose Syrian refugees moving in
  
  • Alabama
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Mississippi
  • Nebraska
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Wisconsin
• States whose governors say they will accept refugees
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Hawaii
  • Pennsylvania
  • Vermont
  • Washington
    (Source: CNN)

I draw a measure of relief that governors of my two 'home' states, North Dakota and Minnesota, have had the common decency to keep quiet about this. I am not among the 52% who would feel 'safer,' knowing that my political leaders were refusing sanctuary to folks — based on national origin.

Here's a map of the situation, as of last night:


(From CNN, used w/o permission.)

It could be worse.

The President could be signing an order to round up American citizens with Syrian ancestry.

Something like that happened before.

On February 19, 1942, during World War II, Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066.

Folks whose crime was having 'un-American' ancestors were rounded up and herded into internment camps. Many had their property confiscated. About two thirds of the Japanese were American citizens, many others had lived here for decades. German-Americans and Italian-Americans were blacklisted, too.

The good news is that the roughly 120,000 men, women, and children whose ancestors were Japanese were not killed. Eventually, after wartime hysteria cooled down, they were released.

Decades later, in 1988, Public Law 100-383 even acknowledged that the Roosevelt administration might have made a mistake.

Still later, the Department of Justice got around to looking for the folks whose property was legally stolen — "Justice Department Announces Potential Eligibility of Japanese Americans Who Lived in Phoenix Area for Redress Payments."

The Department of Justice announcement was dated August 3, 1994 — 52 years after the roundup was okayed.

Exodus 20:15 and Deuteronomy 5:19 say the same thing: "you shall not steal." Respect for legitimate authority is part of my faith: but that does not mean that someone who has political or economic power can ignore rules that apply to 'ordinary' people. Stealing is stealing: even if the President rewrote part of the Decalogue. (Catechism, 1897-1917, 2401, 2408-2409)

And that's yet another topic.

'A Stranger, and You Slammed the Door in my Face'

There's a somewhat-corny poem associated with a statue in New York Harbor:

"...A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles....

"...'Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!'..."
("The New Colossus," Emma Lazarus, via Wikipedia)²

That's a nice sentiment, and as a Euro-American I'm in no position to argue against letting foreigners into 'my' country.

More the point, I'm a Catholic, so I must think that "alleviating the miseries of refugees" is important. (Catechism, 1911)

"The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.

"Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants' duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens."

(Catechism, 2241)

The last I checked, the United States is still one of "the more prosperous nations." With a population of around 322,000,000, I think we can handle the economic burden of reviewing entry requests for around 10,000 refugees from Syria.

I also think careful background checks make sense. A few of those Syrians might be terrorists. So might folks coming from France, Belgium, or any other nation.

But — governors appealing to nativism or fear notwithstanding — I am pretty sure that most of those Syrians are fleeing terrorists: and hope that the United States and countries in Europe give them a chance to live.

I'll admit to a bias. Many of my ancestors were "of low type," and regarded as a threat to America. (September 25, 2015; September 18, 2015; June 21, 2015)

A few words about strangers and getting a grip, and I'm done for today.

"⁵ Had not the men of my tent exclaimed, 'Who has not been fed with his meat!'

"Because no stranger lodged in the street, but I opened my door to wayfarers -...."
(Job 31:31-32)

"The LORD protects the stranger, sustains the orphan and the widow, but thwarts the way of the wicked."
(Psalms 146:9)

"Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,

"naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.' "
(Matthew 25:34-36)

Background:

• Wikipedia
  • Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
    • Worldwide caliphate aims
    • Goals
    • Ideology and beliefs
  • Designation as a terrorist organisation
  • Human rights abuse and war crime findings
  • Criticism
    • Islamic criticism
    • International criticism
  • November 2015 Paris attacks
  • Syria
    • Human rights
• BBC News
  • "Paris attacks: What happened on the night"
    (November 16, 2015)
  • "Paris attacks: Impact on border and refugee policy"
    Gavin Hewitt, BBC News (November 15, 2015)
• Reuters
  • "France, Russia strike Islamic State; Hollande, Putin to meet"
    Chine Labbé, Crispian Balmer (November 17, 2015)
  • "Europe's populist right targets migration after Paris attacks"
    Paul Taylor (November 14, 2015)

More of my take on living in a big world:

• "Paris, Evil, and Love"
  (November 15, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Death and Assumptions
  • Love
• "Death and Decisions in Oregon"
  (October 4, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Being Christian
  • Politics
  • Sin and Love
  • Prayer
• "Remembering the Armenian Genocide, Looking Ahead"
  (April 26, 2015)
  Particularly
  • "We Are Not Guilty!"
  • 'I was Only Following Orders'
  • Authority, Love, and Genocide
  • Humanity's Sad Heritage: and a Good Idea
• "Death at Garissa University, Sin, and Consequences"
  (April 12, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Hellfire and Hypocrisy
  • Sin and Sense
  • Justice, Mercy, and Freedom
  • Doing Something Constructive — or Not
• "Strangers and Standing Orders"
  (July 6, 2014)
  Particularly
  • The Irish and Other 'Threats'
  • Immigrants and the Greatest Commandment
  • "... A Stranger and You Welcomed Me...."

---

¹ I must take the Bible, Sacred Scripture, seriously. (Catechism, 101-133)

But I must not pick a few verses I like and warp them around my personal preferences.

• "Synod 14: What I Expect, and What I Don't"
  (October 12, 2014)
  Particularly
  • What Not to Expect
• "Vengeance, Anger, and Looking Ahead"
  (July 13, 2014)
  Particularly
  • "Avenger of Blood," "Forgive ... Injustice" — the Bible and Getting a Grip

² As a descendant of the "wretched refuse," I think this is a good idea:

Life, Death, and Love

You might recognize this as lyrics from Carly Simon's Have You Seen Me Lately album: the fourth track.

"...And life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon, and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight...."

I ran into it as part of a prayer by Fr. Bede Jarrett, who had said he was repeating something William Penn wrote. Rossiter W. Raymond wrote the lines into his "Death is Only an Horizon" poem.

I'll get back to a longer excerpt from Fr. Jarrett's prayer: after talking about death, life, love, and all that.

Memento Mori and Carpe Diem

"Memento mori" — Latin for 'remember your death,' more or less — makes sense: if done with common sense. Recognition of approaching death can have a wonderfully focusing effect.

But there's wisdom in "carpe diem," too. The phrase, from a Latin poet's "Odes," isn't the oldest suggestion that enjoying the 'now' makes sense.

The idea goes back at least as far as the "Epic of Gilgamesh"¹ and Ecclesiastes 2:24.

So do comparisons involving folly and wind:

"...As for man, his days are numbered,
whatever he may do, it is but wind...."
(Gilgamesh to Enkidu, in "Epic of Gilgamesh;" tablet III, the Old Babylonian version; via Wikipquote)

— — —

"⁴ 'What the eyes see is better than what the desires wander after.' This also is vanity and a chase after wind."
(Ecclesiastes 6:9)

As I've said before, it's hardly surprising that the Hebrews picked up imagery from Mesopotamian cultures. (March 29, 2015; July 15, 2014)

Moderation

Pleasure, enjoyed in moderation, is a good idea:

"³ There is nothing better for man than to eat and drink and provide himself with good things by his labors. Even this, I realized, is from the hand of God.

"For who can eat or drink apart from him?"
(Eccelsiastes 2:24-25)

If that doesn't sound "Biblical," maybe it's because America's assumptions and attitudes about God and faith tend toward the "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" style.

Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners" sermon is old-fashioned 'fire and brimstone' preaching, filled with encouraging words like these:

"...every unconverted Man properly belongs to Hell...."

"...The God that holds you over the Pit of Hell, much as one holds a Spider, or some loathsome Insect, over the Fire, abhors you...."

"...you will be wholly lost and thrown away of God...."
("Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," pp. 6, 9, 15, 18; Jonathan Edwards (July 8, 1741) (via Digital Commons@University of Nebraska-Lincoln))

God does not hate me, or you.

"For God so loved the world that he gave ⁷ his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn ⁸ the world, but that the world might be saved through him. "
(John 3:16-17)

God loves us, and wants to adopt us. (John 3:17; Ephesians 1:3-5; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 52, 1825)

As adopted children, we're expected to act like God matters. I've been over that before. (October 4, 2015; September 6, 2015)

Getting back to pleasure, life, and getting a grip — God made and is making a good and beautiful world. (Genesis 1:1-2:9; Catechism, 31-32)

Pretending that this world's beauty is icky makes no sense. Not to me, anyway. Neither does assuming that getting more stuff should be top priority:

"And if riches be a desirable possession in life, what is more rich than Wisdom, who produces all things?

"And if prudence renders service, who in the world is a better craftsman than she?

"² Or if one loves justice, the fruits of her works are virtues; For she teaches moderation and prudence, justice and fortitude, and nothing in life is more useful for men than these.

"Or again, if one yearns for copious learning, she knows the things of old, and infers those yet to come. She understands the turns of phrases and the solutions of riddles; signs and wonders she knows in advance and the outcome of times and ages. "
(Wisdom 8:5-8)

Moderation makes sense. (Catechism, 1809, 2264, 2362, 2405, 2496, 2522, 2548)

Life, Death, and Beyond

Human life is sacred, and health is a 'precious gift.' I'm expected to take care of my health: within reason. (Catechism, 2258, 2274-2279, 2288-2289)

Sooner or later, though, I'll die. Right after that, there's a final performance review: my particular judgment. (Catechism, 1021-1022)

I'm not looking forward to it, but it's unavoidable.

Then I live forever, which is good news or bad news, depending on what I do with the package I've been issued.

If I've taken God seriously, I'll have loved God, loved my neighbors, seen everyone as my neighbor, and treated others as I'd like to be treated. (Matthew 5:43-44, 7:12, 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31 10:25-27, 29-37; Catechism, 1789)

I've discussed faith, works, and James 2:14-26 before. (September 6, 2015; March 22, 2015; July 27, 2014)

After my particular judgment, there's Heaven, the Purgatory-Heaven track: or Hell. (Catechism, 1023-1037)

Purgatory is not a 'get out of Hell free' card. It's more like an ICU or emergency room for souls, and that's another topic.

Bottom line, we get one life, one soul, and one chance at eternity. Hope is a virtue, despair is not an option, and hope lasts as long as we live. (Catechism, 366, 988-1014, 1021-1022, 1501, 1817-1821, 2091)

This looks like a good place for more of that prayer:

"...What you give you do not take away, for what is yours is ours also if we are yours. And life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon, and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight. Lift us up, strong Son of God, that we may see further; cleanse our eyes that we may see more clearly; draw us closer to yourself that we may know ourselves to be nearer to our loved ones who are with you..."
("For Our Departed Loved Ones," Fr. Bede Jarrett; from "The Catholic Prayer Book;" complied by Msgr. Michael Buckley, edited by Tony Castle; p. 309 (1984, updated 2013)

Creation 2.0

Where was I? Carly Simon, dust, death, judgment. Right.

After death and judgment there's this creation's closing ceremony — the Last Judgment — and we see what's next. (Catechism, 1038-1050)

Some speculation about Creation 2.0 is informed; some not so much.

I've indulged in that sort of guesswork, but I think this pretty well sums up what we know:

"I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people ⁴ and God himself will always be with them (as their God).

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, (for) the old order has passed away.' "
(Revelation 21:3-4)

I'll see you there: I hope.

More about life, death, and making sense:

• "Suicide: No Future in It"
  (August 22, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Despair, No: Prayer, Yes
• "Time, Decisions, and the Long View"
  (August 12, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Looking Ahead
• "Death? Been There, Done That"
  (April 5, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Jesus Died - - -
  • - - - and Stopped Being Dead
  • The Last Hour — Two Millennia and Counting
• "Fire, Brimstone, and Lollipop Faith"
  (March 15, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Hellfire and Lollipops
  • Sin, Love, and Robots
  • Living the Truth
• "Moderation and a Pythagorean Dribble Glass"
  (January 25, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Pythagorean Cups: The Thinking Person's Dribble Glass
  • Love, Money, and Not Going Crazy
  • Ecclesiastes, Kansas, and Beyond

---

¹ Gilgamesh was probably a Sumerian king, sometime between the reigns of Qa'a and Khufu. He's also the hero of the "Epic of Gilgamesh." There's an Old Babylonian version of "Epic of Gilgamesh," but we're more familiar with the copy found in Ashurbanipal's library.

"...As for man, his days are numbered, whatever he may do, it is but wind...."
(Gilgamesh to Enkidu, in "Epic of Gilgamesh;" tablet III, the Old Babylonian version; via Wikipquote)

"...Humans come then go, that is the way fate decreed on the Tablets of Destiny.
So someday you will depart, but till that distant day Sing, and dance.
Eat your fill of warm cooked food and cool jugs of beer.
Cherish the children your love gave life.
Bathe away life's dirt in warm drawn waters.
Pass the time in joy with your chosen wife...."
(Siduri to Gilgamesh, in "Epic of Gilgamesh," via Wikiquote)

Suicide: No Future in It

Socrates was a troublemaker, and asked too many questions — which got him killed. I talked about that Friday. (August 21, 2015)

What he said at his trial probably didn't help:

"I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to take thought for your persons or your properties, but and chiefly to care about the greatest improvement of the soul. I tell you that virtue is not given by money, but that from virtue comes money and every other good of man, public as well as private. This is my teaching, and if this is the doctrine which corrupts the youth, I am a mischievous person."

---

"When my sons are grown up, I would ask you, O my friends, to punish them; and I would have you to trouble them, as I have troubled you, if they seem to care about riches, or anything, more than about virtue; or if they pretend to be something when they are really nothing — then reprove them, as I have reproved you, for not caring about that for which they ought to care, and thinking that they are something when they are really nothing. And if you do this, I and my sons will have received justice at your hands."
(Socrates, from "Apology," Plato's account of the trial of Socrates (Translated by Benjamin Jowett))

Socrates wasn't a Christian, or a Jew. Our Lord was born about four centuries after the Greek philosopher drank hemlock.

Nobody forced poison down Socrates' throat: but I'm not sure whether his death was quite "suicide." He'd been told to kill himself, after a trial which apparently followed Athenian judicial standards.

About suicide: I think it's a bad idea. I've had the impulse occasionally, but decided that there's no future in it. Depression, and an autism spectrum disorder, made — makes — my life interesting. (December 14, 2014)

It's also treatable, and there's help available for those of us with suicidal thoughts: like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-TALK (8255) / 800-273-8255 — a free, 24/7 service that can provide suicidal persons or those around them with support, information and local resources. (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline / www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org)

Where was I? Socrates, hemlock, bad ideas. Right.

Despair, No: Prayer, Yes

My first suicidal impulse came in my teens. At the time, I decided that I could last longer than the pain: and it turns out, I was right. It's no great virtue on my part. I'm very stubborn, and could apply what I'd learned about enduring physical pain to the psychological version.

When I became a Catholic, I learned more about why suicide is a bad idea. Briefly, I'm responsible for my life; it's a gift from God, and I don't have the authority to end it. Besides, it's not just about me. Other folks might be affected, too. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2280-2282)

However, if someone tells you that your child/spouse/relative/friend is in Hell because he or she committed suicide: that's not what the Church says:

"We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives."
(Catechism, 2283)

Now, something Socrates didn't say.

"Kids These Days!"

I'm getting to the age when I could complain about 'kids these days,' and how wonderful. the 'good old days' were.

I won't, and Socrates probably didn't either. That famous Socrates quote about the younger generations dates from the mid-1960s:

"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."
(Socrates didn't say this)

It's actually a bowdlerized version of lines 961–985 of "The Clouds," Aristophanes' comedy: spoken by a satiric version of Socrates. Amsterdam's mayor, Gijsbert van Hall, apparently quoted the lines from "The Clouds" following a street demonstration in 1966.

The New York Times ran a story quoting the mayor's quote of "Socrates" April 3, 1966, on page 16: and the quote-of-a-paraphrased-satire entered American culture. (Wikipedia, Bartleby.com)

I'll be back tomorrow morning, with another topic: more or less.

Posts about depression and dealing with life's rough days; weeks; months; decades - - -

• " 'Months of Misery' and Job's Friends"
  (February 8, 2015)
  Particularly
  • With Friends Like These - - -
  • - - - Who Need Enemies?
  • Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries: With Pits
  • Depression and Death
  • Praise the Lord and Pass the Prescriptions
• "Suicide, Sin, and Dealing with Depression"
  (December 14, 2014)
• "Joy and Standing Orders"
  (October 5, 2014)
  Particularly
  • Joy, Zest, and Mud
  • The Beatific Vision and Mirrors
  • Rejoice!
• "Robin Williams, Suicide, and Hope"
  (August 17, 2014)
  Particularly
  • Major Depressive Disorder: Real; Serious — and Treatable
  • Getting a Grip About Health, Hair Shirts, and Hope

Death? Been There, Done That

(From Piero della Francesca, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.)
('Dead? I was, but now I'm better.' No, our Lord didn't say that: not in so many words. (John 20:26-27))

I haven't died, not yet: and I'm still working on the 'dying to myself' that doesn't mean pretending that I'm garbage — and that's another topic. Topics. (November 27, 2011; March 3, 2009)

Our Lord: That's another matter. About two millennia back, Jesus was tortured, executed, and buried: but I'm getting ahead of the story.

Someone named Abram moved out of Ur, changed his name to Abraham, and settled near the east end of the Mediterranean Sea. That was about one and a half or two millennia before the Golgotha incident.

Folks didn't have standardized calendars 35 to 40 centuries back, Western civilization went through two or three resets¹ since then — and that's yet another topic. (March 11, 2012)

Abraham made some good decisions — and a really bad one, leading to a domestic dispute we're still dealing with. Still more topics. (August 16, 2011; Another War-on-Terror Blog (October 8, 2007))

A descendant of Abraham, sold as a slave, wound up running Egypt: and saved many lives during a famine. (Genesis 41:40 and following)

A few centuries later, a refugee named Moses had a face-to-burning bush talk with God:

" 'But,' said Moses to God, 'when I go to the Israelites and say to them, "The God of your fathers has sent me to you," if they ask me, "What is his name?" what am I to tell them?'

"⁶ God replied, 'I am who am.' Then he added, 'This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you.'"
(Exodus 3:13-14)

Egypt's ruler learned — the hard way — that it's not prudent to ignore what God says, and descendants of Abraham moved back to the east end of the Mediterranean.

"Before Abraham ..."

(From John Martin, via WikiMedia Commons, used w/o permission.)
('Now that I have your attention ....')

More centuries passed, and descendants of Abraham finally got it through their heads that God, the great I AM, is ONE.

Then some Nazarene miracle-worker said, as plainly as possible, "I am God:"

"So the Jews said to him, 'You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?' ²³

"²⁴ Jesus said to them, 'Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.' "
(John 8:57-58)

In a way, it's a bit surprising that folks didn't kill him on the spot. They knew what happened when they worshiped anyone or anything besides the God of Abraham, and didn't realize that Jesus really is I AM.

Our Lord's own disciples weren't all that much quicker on the uptake:

"Philip said to him, 'Master, show us the Father, ⁷ and that will be enough for us.'

"Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, "Show us the Father"?"
(John 14:8-9)

Jesus Died - - -

Okay. Now I'm back to events we review every Good Friday. Our Lord was railroaded through a trial — two, if you count the interview with Herod — tortured, executed, and buried.

I sympathize, a little, with movie critics who said "The Passion of the Christ" (2004) was 'too violent:' and that all the blood obscured the film's message. Americans have gotten used to nice, clean, 'decently' sanitized versions of our Lord's crucifixion.

But I'm an adult convert to Catholicism, wear a little sculpture of a dead body around my neck, and understand why we have those ghastly, bloody crucifixes. (April 27, 2010; January 19, 2010)

Jesus was dead. Roman soldiers had been running the execution, and knew the difference between a dead body and someone who had fainted, or was pretending to be dead.

About three decades back, JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association, a peer-reviewed medical journal covering all aspects of the biomedical sciences) published an analysis of what our Lord went through. It isn't an easy read, but worth the effort. My opinion:

• "On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ"
  William D. Edwards, MD; Wesley J. Gabel, MDiv; Floyd E. Hosmer, MS, AMI — JAMA, Vol 255, No. 11 (March 21, 1986)
  (From hisunendinglov.blogspot.com/2015/04/good-friday-physical-death-of-jesus.html
  via associationofcatholicwomenbloggers.blogspot.com/2015/04/good-friday-physical-death-of-jesus.html (April 4, 2015))

- - - and Stopped Being Dead

For anyone else, that would have been the end. The disciples might have tried to return to normal lives, forgetting as much of what happened as they could — hoping that the authorities would do the same.

But Jesus isn't anyone else. Two millennia later, we celebrate Good Friday and Easter — because our Lord didn't stay dead.

If that seems unbelievable, it should.

It took a series of meetings and working lunches to convince the surviving 11 that our Lord was really, no kidding, break-bread, eat-a-fish, put-your-hand-in-my-side, ALIVE.

"And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them."

"With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight."
(Luke 24:30-31)

---

"While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, 'Have you anything here to eat?'

"They gave him a piece of baked fish;

"he took it and ate it in front of them."
(Luke 24:41-43)

---

"Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, 'Peace be with you.'

"Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.' "
(John 20:26-27)

Once they'd been convinced that Jesus had stopped being dead, small wonder that all but John decided that a painful death was preferable to denying that our Lord lives. They'd gotten a glimpse of the big picture, the reality that our Lord has opened a way into God's presence.

"Who will condemn? It is Christ (Jesus) who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

"What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?...

"...For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, ⁹ nor future things, nor powers,

"nor height, nor depth, ¹⁰ nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. "
(Romans 8:34-35, 38-39)

John might have made the same decision, but didn't have the opportunity. Instead, he lived to a ripe old age, in exile on Patmos, and that's yet again another topic.

The Last Hour — Two Millennia and Counting

Before leaving, our Lord gave standing orders:

"Go, therefore, ¹² and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,

"teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. ¹³ And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." "
(Matthew 28:19-20)

Two millennia later, those orders haven't changed.

"Making disciples" isn't the sort of 'convert or die' thing Charlemagne did at Verdun, by the way. We're still cleaning up the mess from that atrocity. (May 18, 2014)

There's more to following our Lord than 'really believing,' reciting Bible verses, or putting loose change in the collection plate.

We're expected to act as if 'Love God, love you neighbor, everybody's your neighbor' is true — and matters. (Matthew 5:43-44, 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-31, Luke 10:25-30; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1825)

Among other things, that means providing for those in need or in prison, and welcoming the stranger. (Matthew 25:34-35, 1 John 3:15-18)

Truly respecting the "transcendent dignity" of humanity, and each person, isn't easy: but it's something we must do. Also building a better world for future generations. The job starts within each of us, with an ongoing "inner conversion." (Catechism, 1888, 1928-1942)

It's been a long haul, we've made some progress: and we have a very great deal left to do.

My guess is that we'll still be waiting and working when the 8.2 kiloyear event, Y2K, and Y10K are seen as roughly contemporary. (December 28, 2014; November 23, 2014; October 26, 2014)


(From Jaime Jasso, via DeviantArt.com, used w/o permission.)

But — the war is over. We won. We're already in "the last hour," and have been for two thousand years. This world's renewal is in progress, and nothing can stop it. (Matthew 16:18; Mark 16:6; Catechism, 638, 670)

More of the same, pretty much:

• The big picture
  • "The Eighth Day: Two Millennia and Counting"
    (April 20, 2014)
  • "Jesus: Tortured; Executed; Buried - - -"
    (April 18, 2014)
  • "An Empty Tomb"
    (March 31, 2013)
  • "Death, Decisions, and a Working Lunch"
    (April 8, 2012)
  • "The Man Who Wouldn't Stay Dead"
    (March 11, 2012)
• The long haul
  
  • "Holy Family, Not '50s Family"
    (December 28, 2014)
  • "Neighbors, Love, and Upping the Ante"
    (October 26, 2014)
  • "Reforming the World — We Must Try"
    (September 28, 2014)
  • "Caesar, Civilization, Dealing With Change — and Building a Better World"
    (August 31, 2014)
  • "Made in the Image of God: Great Power, Great Responsibilities"
    (May 18, 2014)

---

¹ The Late Bronze Age collapse, about 32 centuries ago, happened right around the time of the Trojan War — which may help explain why we're still not sure how much of our information about that conflict is fiction, and how much is fact.

Western civilization recovered, then about 15 centuries back we had another reset. The watershed event for that is the reign of Odoacer, first king of Italy: after which the Roman Empire didn't, in practical terms, exist.

The European Renaissance, about five centuries ago, wasn't — my opinion — quite as catastrophic a change.

Life, Death, and Hope

I'm going to die.

That's what happens to humans.

Elijah's departure, described in 2 Kings 2:8-11, was a special case. So is Mary, and I talked about that yesterday. (November 1, 2014)

How we deal with awareness of life and death depends on culture and an individual's unique experiences and personality.

By the way — my diabetes, hypertension, and assorted other health issues, are pretty much under control: so my death is probably years, maybe decades, away. The clock's ticking, though.

Memento Mori

"Memento mori" — Latin for 'remember your death,' more or less — makes sense: if done with common sense. Recognition of impending doom can have a wonderfully focusing effect. (May 20, 2011)

However, I don't have a skull mounted on my desk: reminding me that my days are numbered. For one thing, I don't think that'd be consistent with respect for the dead. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2299-2300)

Carpe Diem

There's some wisdom in "carpe diem," too. The phrase, from a Latin poet's "Odes," isn't the oldest suggestion that enjoying the 'now' makes sense. The idea goes back at least as far as the "Epic of Gilgamesh" and Ecclesiastes 2:24.

The options aren't limited to morbid fascination with death or fleeing this fact of life by focusing on immediate pleasures.

God made and is making a good and beautiful world. (Genesis 1:1-2:9; Catechism, 31-32)

There is no problem with pleasure, enjoyed in moderation:

"³ There is nothing better for man than to eat and drink and provide himself with good things by his labors. Even this, I realized, is from the hand of God.

"For who can eat or drink apart from him? "
(Eccelsiastes 2:24-25)

Human nature being what it is, I'd better add this footnote:

"[24] Unrestrained indulgence is not advocated here, but legitimate pleasure and the cheerfulness it begets."
(Footnote 3, Eccelsiastes 2, New American Bible (November 11, 2002)

Planning Ahead

I will live forever.

That's good news or bad news, depending on what I do with the package I've been issued. I've discussed faith, works, and James 2:17-26 before. (October 5, 2011; August 27, 2011)

Right after I die, there's a final performance review: my particular judgment. (Catechism, 1021-1022)

I'm not looking forward to that, but it's unavoidable.

After the particular judgment, there's Heaven: or Hell. Purgatory is not a 'get out of Hell free' card. It's more like an ICU or emergency room for souls, and that's another topic. (Catechism, 1023-1037)

Bottom line, we get one life, one soul, and one chance at eternity. Hope is a virtue, despair is not an option, and hope lasts as long as we live. (Catechism, 366, 988-1014, 1021-1022, 1501, 1817-1821, 2091)

After that, there's this creation's closing ceremony — the Last Judgment — and we see what's next.

There's been a great deal of speculation about what Creation 2.0 will be like: some of it informed; some not so much.

I've indulged in that sort of guesswork: but I think this pretty well sums up what we know:

"I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people ⁴ and God himself will always be with them (as their God).

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, (for) the old order has passed away.' "
(Revelation 21:3-4)

I'll see you there: I hope.

More of my take on long-term planning:

• "Time, Decisions, and a Sense of Scale"
  (September 28, 2013)
• "Life, Death, and a Sore Wrist"
  (April 21, 2013)
• "The Man Who Wouldn't Stay Dead"
  (March 11, 2012)
• "An Eternal Life I can Live With"
  (August 27, 2011)
• "Last Judgment: Attendance Mandatory"
  (May 21, 2011)

Elijah and the 12-Star General

Tomorrow's post is about death, judgment, Heaven, Hell, and all that. Coming back from a desperately-needed coffee break, I realized that the following paragraphs made sense, in context — probably. But since I didn't have the rest of the post written yet, I figured it'd be easier to slap them into an 'unscheduled' post, and cudgel my brain back on-track.

Death and Special Cases

Elijah's departure, described in 2 Kings 2:8-11 was a special case.

Then there's Mary, mother of my Lord. She's a very special case: shielded from original sin, the ethical rot we inherit from our first parents; and currently what I've called a 12-star general.

There's a difference of opinion about how Mary made the transition to life, version 2.0. I'm (Roman) Catholic, so I help celebrate the Feast of the Assumption each August 15.

Other Catholics celebrate the Dormition of the Theotokos on the same date. Wikipedia discusses "Assumption vs. Dormition" in their page on the Assumption of Mary.

I'm enough of a scholar to appreciate that whether Mary died and was resurrected shortly thereafter; or seemed to be dead, wasn't, and was taken directly to God's kingdom; is a significant question.

But I'm also a Norwegian-Irish-Scots-American — so I also think the important point is that Mary is alive, and has been doing what we'd call diplomatic work for at least part of the last two millennia.

You've probably heard about the incidents at Lourdes and Guadalupe. News of Mary's appearance at Champion, Wisconsin, isn't quite as high-profile. Not yet, anyway, and that's another topic.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians

Catholics don't worship Mary. She's as human as I am. We do, however, recognize the guts and endurance her life experiences demanded: and recognize her as a Saint, someone who displayed heroic virtue.

Allegedly-related posts:

• " 'They Have no Wine' "
  (May 11, 2014)
• "Human Folly and Body Counts"
  (February 25, 2014)
• "Lazarus, Life, Death: and More"
  (April 6, 2014)
• "Jeanne d'Arc: Barbecued History"
  (December 16, 2013)
• "Prayer, Latin, and Getting a Grip"
  (October 27, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Mary and the Rosary

Robin Williams, Suicide, and Hope

Robin Williams was a few months older than I am when he died. That photo is from 1979, when he was becoming famous for his role in "Mork & Mindy."

I admire Williams' work, regret his addiction to cocaine and alcohol, and am sorry that he is dead. He was a remarkably talented actor and comedian. Sadly, he apparently decided to hang himself.

We can't be sure, but it's likely that suffering from depression had something to do with his death.

Celebrity deaths get heavy media coverage: so when yet another movie star dies from suicide, drug overdose, or some other avoidable cause, it can seem that fame leads to self-destruction.

Although famous folks from Hannibal to Margaux Hemmingway killed themselves, I think it's prudent to remember that many high-profile folks didn't: like Lauren Bacall and Bob Hope.

I'll be writing mostly about life, depression, death, and why I haven't killed myself. You'll find links to articles about Robin Williams near the end of this post.

Decades in an Emotional Desert

I grew about a foot, and started shaving regularly, when I turned 13. As that was happening, I noticed that seeing sunlight washing over a freshly-mowed lawn was accompanied by no emotions: at all. I saw each blade of grass clearly, sunlight still sparkled through water droplets, but my response to the scene was strictly intellectual.

At the time, I assumed that having all the beauty and wonder sucked out of the world was a normal part of growing up. The way many adults acted strongly suggested that this was the case.

I mentally shrugged my shoulders and moved on. Feeling something besides "empty" most of the time would have been nice: but now I could reach higher shelves, so there was an 'up' side.

Decades later, on the recommendation of my wife, I talked with a psychiatrist: who promptly diagnosed me as experiencing major depression. Turns out, most adults don't live in an emotional desert, constantly fighting to make their brains work.

Around the same time, I learned that I've got ADD-Inattentive, Asperger's, or maybe something else. Either way, high-strength antidepressants and a few other drugs finally sorted out my brain chemistry.

Now I can think more clearly than I could since my pre-teens, maybe ever.

It's great.

Stubborn as a Mule: Still Working on Fortitude

I thought about killing myself: once, in my teens. After a few seconds, I decided that I was very stubborn: and likely to endure longer than any of my then-current torments. Afterward, I still felt awful, but the feelings passed.

I've felt like killing myself a few times since then, but each time I remembered that obstinacy has advantages. "Perseverance" or "dogged determination" sound better, maybe, but let's face it: I'm stubborn. Properly controlled, it's a strength.

I'm still working on virtues like fortitude, and that's another topic. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1808)

Major Depressive Disorder: Real; Serious — and Treatable

So, if I'm such a stubborn man, why didn't I just decide to stop being depressed?

For one thing, I didn't realize that I suffered from psychiatric disorders. I figured that so many adults were cranky and obtuse because they were dealing with interior torments like mine.

For another, although we still don't know exactly what happens with depression, medicos have long since realized that it's a physical disorder: not the result of weak character or moral failings. Not directly, anyway.

"Major depressive disorder" comes with various combinations of altered brain chemistry, out-of-whack hormones, other biological and genetic differences, and traumatic events. (Mayo Clinic)

I was dealing with at least three of those factors, including a traumatic event I know happened: but which isn't in my conscious memory. And that's yet another topic. (January 28, 2011)

At the risk of sounding preachy, I'll repeat what you've probably heard before: being imperfect is okay; and so is getting help:

"...When our society characterizes people with clinical depression, it paints pictures of moody teens wearing black. It does not consider depression as it honestly is: a real illness that can hit anyone of any socioeconomic background. It can affect a parent as well as a student, the rich and the poor. Like a cold or the flu, anyone can experience it....

"...But society stigmatizes depression as just a case of 'being sad,' and tells the depressed to 'just get over it.' That leads the clinically depressed to hide their illness until it is too late, scared of what people might think, instead of reaching out for the treatment that can help return them to happiness....

"...But, just as if you were to get the flu, if you feel depressed, you should go to the doctor and get medicine and advice for feeling better. You would tell your friends to do the same...."
("Coming of Age: A lesson from the dimming of a bright star," Karen Osborne, CNA (August 12, 2014))

There's more of that excerpt at the very end of this post.

Getting a Grip About Health, Hair Shirts, and Hope

Life and health are "precious gifts." Since I'm a Catholic, part of my job is taking care of my health: within reason. (Catechism, 1509-1523, 2288-2291)

Prayer is a good idea, always: so is science and technology, used wisely. (Catechism, 1509-1523, 2292-2296, 2275, 2558)

Over the last few centuries, we've been learning a great deal about how the body works, and that's yet again another topic.

I've read and heard quite a bit about suicide, some of it about as sensible as this line from a Monty Python comedy sketch:

"...After all he only did what many of us simply dream of doing --- I'm sorry. After all we should remember that a murderer is only an extroverted suicide...."
("The Tale Of The Piranha Brothers," Monty Python, via www.montypython.net)

I take humor and suicide seriously. But although immoderate laughter is a bad idea, joy and humor are okay, and I'm wandering off-topic. Again. (Catechism, 1676, 1856)

Or maybe not so much. St. Philip Neri, the 'amiable Saint,' was known for his heavy-handed humor: like giving an overly-pious young man permission to wear a hair shirt, on the outside of his regular clothes.

"Cilice" is a fancy name for hair shirt. Think of it as an all-wool T-shirt, starched. Worn next to the skin, it's a a sort of low-impact penance. Worn over your clothes, you'd look ridiculous. (November 13, 2011)

Getting back to life, death, and all that — Human life is a precious gift, sacred. Murder is wrong, even when the victim is oneself. (Catechism, 2258, 2268-2269, 2280-2282)

We get one life, one soul, and one chance at eternity. Hope is a virtue, despair is not an option, and hope lasts as long as we live. (Catechism, 366, 1013, 1021-1022, 1501, 1817-1821, 2091)

Sin is an offense against reason and truth, and quite real. (Catechism, 1846-1851)

Sin is not a matter of liking the 'wrong' sort of music, or wearing slacks during Minnesota winters. Still more topics. (September 26, 2009)

Finally, a few words about hope and joy:

"We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives."
(Catechism, 2283)

---

"but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'
…
"I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. "
(Luke 15:2-7)

Background

• Depression (major depressive disorder)
  • Symptoms
  • Causes
  • Risk factors
  • Complications
  Mayo Clinic
• Depression
  National Institute of Mental Health; National Institutes of Health
• Major depressive disorder
  Wikipedia

Looking for more of my take on being alive? Here's a sample:

• "Suicide, Civilization, and Decisions"
  (June 23, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Living in a Speed Bump
• "Facts, Frustration, and Fear"
  (January 28, 2011)
  Particularly
  • 'There's a Hole in My Mind'
  • Suicide is Not an Option
• "Prayer, Medicine and Trusting God"
  (March 4, 2010)
  Particularly
  • Major Depression isn't Fun
  • Weak-Willed? Proud? No: Smart
  • But Don't Religious People Rely on God?
• "David Carradine 1936-2009: What if It's Suicide?"
  (June 4, 2009)
  Particularly
  • Catholic Teaching on Suicide: There is Hope
• "The Catholic Church Won't Even Let People Kill Themselves"
  (January 28, 2009)
  Particularly
  • Hope
  • Suicide - It's Not Always Someone Else

Robin McWilliams, news and views:

• Robin Williams
  Wikipedia
• "Grim details of Robin Williams' death released by investigators"
  Peter Fimrite, Evan Sernoffsky, Henry K. Lee; SFGate (August 13, 2014 )
  (video and text)
• "Coming of Age: A lesson from the dimming of a bright star"
  Karen Osborne, CNA (August 12, 2014)
• "Robin Williams, Oscar-Winning Comedian, Dies at 63 in Suspected Suicide"
  Dave Itzkoffaug, The New York Times (August 11, 2014)

Excerpt from news and view:

"...When our society characterizes people with clinical depression, it paints pictures of moody teens wearing black. It does not consider depression as it honestly is: a real illness that can hit anyone of any socioeconomic background. It can affect a parent as well as a student, the rich and the poor. Like a cold or the flu, anyone can experience it.

"Clinical depression has a lot to do with the way chemicals function in your brain. Scientists have found that chemicals that help regulate your mood are severely low in people who have depressive episodes. But society stigmatizes depression as just a case of 'being sad,' and tells the depressed to 'just get over it.' That leads the clinically depressed to hide their illness until it is too late, scared of what people might think, instead of reaching out for the treatment that can help return them to happiness.

"But, just as if you were to get the flu, if you feel depressed, you should go to the doctor and get medicine and advice for feeling better. You would tell your friends to do the same. Why suffer a headache when there are painkillers? Why suffer a sinus infection when you can get a decongestant?

"Doctors have effective medicine and methods to battle clinical depression. And yet, it is a condition that makes people feel as they cannot reach for help. There is help out there -- from friends, psychologists, doctors and even kind strangers at hotlines and help lines.

"If you are experiencing major depression, you might have difficulty concentrating and making decisions...."
("Coming of Age: A lesson from the dimming of a bright star," Karen Osborne, CNA (August 12, 2014))