Everything was usual. That was depression: being stuck, clinging to an out-of-date version of oneself.
Interpretation
Depression can feel like being trapped in an outdated version of oneself, unable to move forward.
In this quote, Edward St Aubyn captures the essence of depression as a state of stagnation where an individual feels disconnected from their current self and exists in a loop of past experiences that no longer serve them. The description of clinging to an 'out-of-date version' suggests that depression is not just about sadness, but also about a profound struggle with identity and progress, highlighting how difficult it can be to let go of who we used to be, even when it holds us back.
In practice
This quote can be used in a mental health awareness talk to illustrate the struggle with depression.
Here, with whitened hair, desires failing, strength ebbing out of him, with the sun gone down and with only the serenity and the calm warning of the evening star left to him, he drank to Life, to all it had been, to what it was, to what it would be. Hurrah!
Jumping from boulder to boulder and never falling, with a heavy pack, is easier than it sounds; you just can't fall when you get into the rhythm of the dance.
A life without impact and contribution is a very empty life, so use your life to make the world better.
I'm just tired of everything…even of the echoes. There is nothing in my life but echoes…echoes of lost hopes and dreams and joys. They're beautiful and mocking.
The men in this book are fictitious characters but their counterparts can be found in cockpits all over the world. Now they are flying a war. Tomorrow they will be flying a peace, for, regardless of the world's condition, flying is their life.
You either ride life or it rides you. Your mental attitude determines who is 'rider' and who is 'horse.'
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.