When you are down in depression
Remember the sound of your best friend's voice
When you are thinking about everything
Bad that ever happened to you
Remember the times when you were happy
Don't say there weren't any
Don't let yourself down the path of self-hatred
Don't let yourself give in to the darkness
Remember light, a time of renewal
Remember the summer sun
Remember the hot days of August
When you jumped into the swimming pool
Remember the cold days of November
When you played in the first snowfall
Remember the joyous feeling in March
When you could go outside again
Remember the first day of summer
When school let out
Or if you love school beyond all reason
Remember the first day
When you packed your books and sharpened your new pencils
Now you're thinking about bad times again
Don't let yourself do that
No, stop, throw away that thought
Instead remember the sound of a river
Or the purr of a soft kitten
Remember the dog who ran beside you
An ever-lasting companion
Remember the walk in the moonlight
Home after an evening of play
Remember studying the constellations
In the night sky
Remember the awe you felt at sunrise
Getting out of bed
Hurrying to greet the dawn
Awake before everybody else
Remember a day you slept in late
Dead to the world for so long
Remember the smell of fresh coffee
Or the warmth of the cup of hot chocolate
Remember the coldness of milk
Or freshly squeezed orange juice
Taste once more the sweetest spring water
Remember the best bread you ever had
Remember that joy and laughter always return
After sadness and fear leave your thoughts
Remember this each day or as needed
That you exist, you matter
Remember that when you leave this planet
People will come to your funeral
Remember that if you give in to depression
You'd be robbed of precious joy
Tomorrow, when you're feeling better
When the sun shines brightly
Or the rain falls
Whichever weather there is tomorrow
Go out into the dawn
Take another by the hand
Tell him or her this message
That he or she might find gladness!
Copyright by a very joyful Phoenix November 25, 2004.
This poem was the result of a little experiment. One time I was crying in the shower and then I thought "Hey, why the h--- am I crying?" I resolved then to think of everything good and remind myself that laughter will return as the sun after a long winter. I decided to write this to pass on the good tidings.
Phoenix
