The Reason People Don’t Smile Around Campus
http://flickr.com/photos/mr_fabulous/1933851532/
When I think of the blues, I picture an old man sitting in a rocking chair fiddeling on a beat up guitar. His hands represent the quality of his lifeline: scarred and callused beyond belief. Behind him, a house is in bad shape although it is complimented by sunny and warming New Orleans sky.
The blues is unique because it expresses a dark mood for the purpose of creating a lighter mood. As Michigan propels into the winter this year, I feel the dark mood.
The physical darkness of the winter really takes a toll on people. The days continuously get shorter and colder while memories of sunny days fade away. This whole phenomenon is characterized by a disorder called SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Wikepedia explains:
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or winter blues, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or, less frequently, in the summer,[1] repeatedly, year after year.
It also explains that it can be treated through light therapy. For example, having well lit rooms in a home apparently makes a real difference.
The blues picture is painted even more with the economic crisis slapping everyone around. Everybody knows somebody who has lost a job. On a better note, this economic crisis hasn’t hit everyone. Some communities seem unphased with gaudy jewelry and practices such as tossing money in the air; otherwise known as “making it rain”. You need to show this forbearance and make it rain in your life.
Although it is nearly impossible we have to stay healthy to combat this seasonal blues song. Not only physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We take care of our physical health most, but the other three are equally important.
brandonjb advises a few quick fixes for winter blues:
Pray everyday
Communicate your opinions everyday
Engage in deep thought alone everyday
Play basketball everyday
Don’t let your winter become a blues song. Use the winter to give yourself that light mood of the old man.
