Absolutely. When did I ever say it was OK to give up? What I'm saying is, some people fight their whole lives and still lose some battles along the way. Being depressed doesn't mean you given up ... and it also doesn't mean you aren't successful. I know plenty of people who are incredibly successful and also terribly depressed. Tennessee Williams wrote a thought-provoking essay called "The Catastrophe of Success" that paints an interesting angle on this. Your equation of depression with "being broke," I find odd. Edwin Arlington Robinson could tell you that, or Simon and Garfunkel could sing it if you prefer. I know plenty of loaded people who are depressed. Truth be told, I know more rich depressed people than poor ones. Chances are, you do to. You just don't know it. I think I agree with what you're saying about the people you're saying it about ... I just disagree with your idea of what depression is. Lots of kinds of depression, many having nothing to do with money or drugs. And lots of depressed people who don't ever give up.

And for whatever it's worth, Abraham Lincoln suffered from terrible depression. He wasn't a loser.

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Exactly. Great quote.

All I was trying to point out to SKJ was just that a lot of people bust their butts and are depressed simultaneously.

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

I used to think that my ex-step-father was the reason I didn't compete in sports very well, blah, blah, blah...

Then one day, I decided that I was the reason for what I was...not him. Regardless what he did to me, or when he did it, it was ME that kept him in the lime-light as to what I wanted to be or do.

I quit blaming him and started taking control of myself.

When I started having a hard time, I quit pointing the finger at him and found that when I did, I had three pointing back at me...it was me that was having the problem...not him causing the problem.

I didn't need needles, weed, therapy or warm, fuzzy hugs in some group-therapy forum...I just had to recognize that I'm the one that's doing the math, handing in the papers and getting the grade.

Nothing more...

Now, do I get down or depressed? Sometimes I find myself THINKING that things could be better. But, what does that DO? Thinking about bad stuff does nothing to make anything better...so I quit the "downer game" and find something that makes me feel better...sometimes it might be a comedy on TV, radio or at the VideoStore. Other times it might be an interesting book on some subject that I like...other times I'll get on PPMSF and OD and yak it up with folks here...

But, sitting around and worrying about something you can't change or have no power over is only going to make you feel worse.

So...what depression are WE experiencing with the economy? You want to depress someone? Go after that polititian that's been irking the hell out of you! Go to the "meetings" he's holding and tell him, in front of the media and all his "yesmen" that he's not the hot pile of chit on a silver platter that he thinks he is...he's a cold tu*d on a paper plate. Tell him you can run a more effective campaign for less money and do it...make him squirm.

Do something and quit waiting for things to get better...only you can make things as good as you want.

If the sun's shining, it's not the clouds' fault that it's bright out there. Grab the lemmons around you and make a hell of a cocktail with a bottle of Vodka.

You're only as down as you want to be.

Stand up for yourself, kick the other losers off your pantsleg and start moving forward. Behind are memories that only you can bring back if you want...and if they're that bad, forget 'em and move on.

You've got nothing to lose but yourself.

And, you're better than that.

__________________

M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

i guess it's not a good time to chime in with the first noble truth:

all life is suffering ?

__________________
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

Any time is better than never! We all suffer...it's a relative thing.

I'm smiling, but I've had a load of 'roids, in the past, that'd make Mother Teresa curse like a sailor.

I've seen paraplegics in wheel-chairs kicking ass on the basketball court or on the bowling alley...playing as good a game as those with no motorskill issues.

They ain't crying in the huddle on the sidelines...they want to get out there and kick some two-legged butts.

Good for them.

It's all in how you look at the hand of cards that was dealt you.

You either play the hand or fold.

I'm playing the hand. And I feel sorry for anyone that quits in the middle of the game by folding.

Giving up never gives you the chance to ever taste victory.

All you can do is watch...from the sidelines...and wish it was different.

__________________

M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

Never said he was a "loser." I know that he did suffer from it, and that is precisely why I quoted him.

My older Brother (I've told the story before here) was locked and medicated in a mental ward of the VA hospital in Omaha, Nebraska for the better part of a year in 1979. He was unhappy with his life and threatened to kill himself. Whoop-de-do, he didn't. He was basically broke, lazy, angry, -claimed he couldn't find a job and wanted attention, so the VA gave it to him for free, since he was a vet. When he got out, he changed careers and eventually became a doctor. He has declared bankruptcy, still working-broke, and basically a loser. Very bad attitude and his life reflects it, hated his Father, milked thousands of $s from Mom, multiple marriages, estranged children, crappy broken down cars, you name it. It's all about choices, and so far he's chosen to make bad ones. Thankfully, he lives over a thousand miles away, and doesn't hound me for money like he did years ago. Some people cannot be helped, and that is their choice too.

__________________
'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

(obviously not familiar with the mocassin prayer. )

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

DOH! Obviously I am......

The best thing about your saying is that when you walk a "mile in their shoes," you will have a one mile head start getting away from them......

__________________
'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

I initially thought that's why you quoted Lincoln, but then when you implied that anyone with depression has "chosen" it and is a quitter, I got a little lost. I agree with you when it comes to people like your older brother ... but what did kmaysob say that makes him anything like that? He's already back out on the lake, fishing ... so he's not a quitter or a loser just because he's bummed his stuff got stolen. And pretty much everyone else in this thread has told stories of how depression affected them, but they fought through it and are OK. So your post about how people "chose" to be miserable seemed like it was implying that everyone who ever suffered from depression was weak and at fault for their condition. No one in the thread so far has said "yeah, I'm depressed because I'm in debt after spending my money on crack and I can't get a job because I have no skills." So I didn't really get that that specifically was the type of depressed person you were talking about.

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

And, they'll be shoeless, making them even easier to get away from.

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

My story is a case in point...... http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=237170

However I'm still pushing forward, making progress and slowly pulling myself out of my own depression which has been holding me down for too long. All without stupid anti-depressants. The problem of depression needs to be approached directly. I'm not going to put a band aid on a bullet wound.

__________________
1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

Well I have to use Effexor,Celaxa,and Trazadone together.
My problem is because of R.Arthritis,and Disk desease,I have been on pain meds. for over 14 years.It makes the area of the brain thats secrets the stuff that makes you happy,gone forever.
Plus coupled with the fact with my illness,I not only support my 2 sons,and wife,but another family.
What I'm saying if there is a reason to take deppression meds,Do So.

__________________
1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran, deutschland deutschland uber alles uber alles in der welt

He became an MD? Can't be that lazy, thats a crapload of school!

__________________
1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

And, you'll have their shoes to boot!

Believe me, the "moccassins" got a working out making sure he didn't trash or steal too much from my folks too badly, when they were alive.

__________________
'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

He found his talent in life........studying AND taking tests well. -The other stuff? Don't ask.

I must admit, he would give great patient care IMHO, he runs a department at a V.A. hospital to this day. And retired a Major with the U.S. Army.

I'm just not pleased with the way he's treated our family.......make it rough on Mom and Dad when they were aged.