There’s a quiet power in the way the forest stands through every season. The mighty oak does not curse the winter wind, nor does the river refuse to flow when the storm darkens the sky. They endure, not because they do not feel the strain, but because they know—deep down—that seasons change, the wind shifts, and the sun will rise again.

This past week, I found myself walking through a deep and familiar valley. Depression, that old and unwelcome companion, settled in beside me. It didn’t make sense—life, in so many ways, is good right now. And yet, there it was, heavy as ever.

Then I traced it back, not to some great sorrow or burden, but to something as small as a few drops of prednisone in my eye. Amazing, isn’t it? How something so small can shift the way we see, not just with our eyes, but with our hearts?

Depression is like that. Sometimes, it comes with banners waving, announced by grief or exhaustion. Other times, it slips in unnoticed, hidden in the quiet changes of life—our bodies, our routines, the very air around us. And when it comes, it does not ask permission. It does not care how bright the sun is shining.

But here’s the truth: just as the night gives way to dawn, the soul finds its way back to light. The first step is to recognize the shadow, to name it, to remind ourselves that we are not lost—we are simply passing through.

So if you find yourself in the darkness, don’t fear it. Don’t fight it alone. Stand firm like the tree, flow like the river. Reach out, breathe deep, and remember—this is not the end of your story. The light is still there, even when you can’t see it. And soon enough, you will feel its warmth again.

-MJHarvell