I’m never quite sure what happens to me when my normal routine is disrupted.  All I know is that it seems to take me forever to re-find myself, to get back into my everyday patterns and the activities that I love doing.  Sometimes the disruption is a “going away” thing; a trip, a vacation, a retreat.  Sometimes the disruption is caused internally; an emotional hiccup, a hormonal hill, an unexpected trauma.  The journey back is more difficult when the disruption is a “double-whammy” – a trip AND an internal shift.

Last weekend Richard and I took a trip.  We mounted our much-loved Harley and hit the road.  First stop was Orlando where we spent the night and participated in Night of Joy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  (That experience will be a posting of its own.)  We had a great ride and even though we encountered some of the usual backed-up traffic on I-4, we arrived safely.

On Saturday morning we slept in a little after our late night at the concerts and, after breakfast, we got back on Harley fully kitted out in our rain gear.  There was a steady drizzle of rain which wasn’t too bad, but the closer we got to Tampa the harder it came down.  We were glad to reach our destination – the lovely luxurious Westin on the Causeway – change into dry clothes, order up some room service, and just relax.  Later in the evening we took a cab to Mass at Christ the King church, then crossed the road to eat at GrillSmith on South Dale Mabry Hwy. (Another separate posting on this experience!)

On Sunday morning we prepared for the other highlight of this trip: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game against the Dallas Cowboys.  Richard and I are die-hard Cowboys’ fans and this was a great game to be able to travel to.  The weather was reasonable even though showers were promised.  We had our rain ponchos and what’s a bit of water if you can get to see the “Boys”!!  (The game will be another posting!)

We happily prepared for our trip home (the “Boys” won after an exciting game that could have gone in either direction until the fourth quarter).  Apart from a short we-are-lost detour at the beginning of the trip (unfamiliar city roads and road construction!), and a small shower closer to home, we had another great ride and arrived home safely at about 10pm.

Now that was a fabulous weekend; no hiccups, no problems, and a very happy ending.  It just carried a simple “disruption” tag to my usual routine.  So why on earth did I wake up on Monday morning feeling like I was sliding down some treacherous slippery hill of grayness?  I guess if I could answer that question, and especially if I could offer a solution, I could get very rich very easily!

Thank God that I have done a lot of personal growth and spiritual growth work over the last thirty years.  At least this puts me in a position to be able to actually recognize that I was on this slippery slope.  It allows me to know myself enough that I am aware that geographical and time disruptions to my routine affect me in ways that perhaps other people do not experience.  I am also willing to put a name to that slippery slope, that most people avoid because they feel it carries too much stigma: depression.

I feel blessed that I have built a support system of incredible friends and that I know to reach out no matter how small the hiccup or hill may seem.  I do not want my hills to grow into menacing mountains that I cannot surmount.  I also feel blessed and grateful that the depression that I suffer from occasionally is not acute and does not require medication.  I also recognize that if I did not have the self awareness that I have worked so hard to achieve, and if I were not willing to take action and ask for support and help, I could easily spiral into deeper depression.

Many people out there, especially those in the male category, refuse to even consider that they may be depressed.  I think it is time to concede that as human beings, with all the in-built emotions and hormones (yes, you guys have crazy hormones too!!) and all the external stress that we deal with on a daily basis, it is normal for us to have “ups and downs”. In our “ups” we are high on happiness and excitement.  In our “downs” our happiness is pushed down, de-pressed.

Sometimes it requires nothing spectacular to de-press our feelings.  It can be something as simple as the end of a special occasion (a trip, a celebration) or even a split second thought or memory that triggers a series of other thoughts that take us down.  And sometimes all or any of this can take place on such a subconscious level that we cannot put our finger on what is causing our “down”, our de-pression.

So on Monday my plan had been to get up and immediately hit the computer and share all the wonderful experiences of the weekend and whatever else the Muse presented.  But somewhere on that slippery slope Muse had jumped off the wagon and I was left with “gray”.  Plan of action: pray, call a friend, go meet with some people who didn’t think I was crazy and who understood exactly what I was going through.

And that is how I am very blessed.  I have gathered around me people who are available to me, who care about me enough to give me their time and their invaluable friendship, who are willing to listen, to share their own experience in similar circumstances.  With their help, it has taken me four days to fully come back up and feel normally enthusiastic about each day.

I have been patient and gentle with myself.  I have not “self-bashed” myself because I haven’t written anything since Saturday.  I have allowed myself to be “lazy” and focused on doing just the absolute essentials on my schedule.  And lo! the Muse is back.  More postings to follow!!!!