PRISONER EXPRESS

Oppressive memories can be as insignificant as parents ignoring or taking for granted those things we deemed as major advancements and achievements. I spent my whole life trying to win approval and please parents whom could care less. My ex wife taught me many lessons, the single most important was "actions speak louder than words." With that in mind, I can now accept their loss and record those things as my gain, from success to success they looked the other way or made excuses. Most of the time, their attention focused on the TV. I couldn't compete, but I tried.

Oppressive memories of life altering capabilities can be anything, from witnessing taboo inter-racial relationships. The lack of any lasting home base. I never knew my family was dysfunctional until I began to look back at the way things really were. People as a basic trait see their little world through rose colored glasses. It isn't until we remove the glasses that the roots of our trouble can be recognized. Alcohol, drugs, physical, mental and sexual abuse often share the same root causes. One parent's defeatist attitude toward life is often accepted by the child so the depression keeps going on. I personally believe, ninety percent of human ills are curable by simply forcing one to see the glass is half full. From an ill offense to a tragedy, a person's life is altered like so much sand on an eroding beach.

Oppressive theories; love, joy, happiness, peace and prosperity opens even more doors to depression. In realizing that love is the single greatest social illusion. I was able to recognize my own desire to love and to be loved as being a weakness, joy and happiness are mere bouts of euphoric thoughtlessness to the world in which we love. Becoming content with everything alleviates the uncontrollable surges that topple us off the peak of our imaginative happiness into the valley of realization which is depression. Peace and prosperity are oppressive in that we become discontent with what we do have. Contentment is living life without the material or social world's influence.

Finally, oppressive events, every one of them significant in our tomorrows because it reminds us, we don't have control over anything in this world. All humans will themselves to maintain control of every facet of our life. This self-will for control can be violated by anyone and anything; leaving us feeling bewildered, powerless and deprived. We are taught to live a life of control. Yet we fail to recognize one thing, control of anything is nothing more than hopeful expectations on somewhat consistent elements. The sad fact is, nothing is controllable. In accepting that fact, we gain resolve which allows our mind to build safe guards against fear and anxiety. In the words of a great man I quote "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."

Overcoming depression is as simple as facing the skeletons of our life, eliminating the potential abuse of others and accepting one fact "no one ever has control." The only certainty in life is, we are born to die. Soâ€"let us live as Janis Joplin believed when she sang: "Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose." For if we live, let us free ourselves of those things that have robbed us in the past and accept that we have control over nothing but letting our ghost fade away into the abyss of forgetfulness.