As fall approaches the clouds descend upon Pennsylvania. The sun seems to not really want to peak it's face out from behind the clouds for days. Thus begins our multi season of cloud cover. 
As you can see by the picture here, ALL of PA is covered by clouds. Some of it more than others, but still this gives you a good picture of what I am talking about. This picture was a screen shot of a weather website's satelite imagery taken about 8:40PM on May 3, 2011. It is officially spring right now and the clouds look much like the ones in the above picture. My hubby tells me that the clouds will go away soon and we'll have a nice summer. 
Living in northwestern Pennsylvania for the past 21 years, I've realized that there can be days, if not weeks when we don't see the sun. I have learned so very much about myself and the Lord during these times. Much like we rely on the sUn to naturally give our bodies vitamin D, we need to rely on the SON to give our spiritual bodies what we need.
When the sun does shine, there is more than one creature in our home who loves to bask in it. Do you remember this picture from last week?
Notice the Sunday, Monday and Tuesday weather forecasts. How do we find contentment day to day as well as peace in our current living circumstances when everything is so cloudy 85+% of the time? It has not been easy for me. Depression hit me so hard in the early 90's when my birthday came around in the fall. My mother always told me that I was depressed because I was a year older. I just replied, "No, it isn't that at all mom. It is something totally different that I just can't put my finger on." I remember crying, sobbing in my pillow when Fall came around because the trees were dying and the flowers were too. I didn't care too much for the bugs, so that didn't matter. But truly, there was something wrong. I knew many people who would say, "Pull up your big girl pants and get over it!" Ugh! It's easier said than done.
How did I cope?
Truth is, I didn't cope very well. I moved out here from living for 7 years of my life in sunny California. It was definately a welcoming thing to me to be living in a family centered welcoming area. For that I was thankful. I was blessed so very much by the Lord giving me a wonderful and precious friend during that time. She's still a wonderful friend! :0) I cried a lot. I missed my family in California a lot. I thought that's what I needed was to go back and see them, but it truly wasn't.
So I prayed.
I began thinking that I needed to just get busy with things. I went back to school to get my mind off being so dependent upon the seasons to make me happy. I took classes full time plus worked and took care of my home. I was able to get my mind off the seasonal depression, although I didn't know it was that until quite a few years later.
One day I was thumbing through a catalog that had just come in the mail and came upon a "natural sunlight" lamp for those who had seasonal depression. I had not ever heard of this! I took it to my husband to read and we decided that it was something to look in to.
We started noticing more as time went on. When we were able to get outside during the winter to play with the kids, walk around, just do some physical labor, things were a little better. But, the problem was still there.
Through the years, we've come upon some interesting information. The first thing we noticed was the increase in sunshine helps. Whenever there is sunshine outside, I need to sit by the window in the dining room. This way I get more sunshine. I know, it may be a very short "fix" in some people's eyes, but it does help. Secondly, what helps is increased oxygen. No, we do not walk around with an oxygen tank hooked up to us. We get more exercise! Oxygen helps to clear the mind, so increasing it by getting 30 minutes of exercise a day helps. Thirdly, what we've discovered this past year is vitamin D suppliments. This has helped immensely. Since vitamin D is naturally produced by our bodies when the sun shines on us, it stands to reason that we ought to take vitamin D if we don't have much by way of sunlight. This premise was confirmed by my father-in-law when we visited them in December. He had mentioned that they use to need to take vitamin D when they lived up here in PA. Now, they don't have to take it since they live in Florida now. And lastly, prayer. Prayer changed everything for me. Years ago when I noticed this occuring, I started praying for answers. The answers did not come right away. As a matter of fact, my prayers changed from "please give me answers" to "please help me appreciate each season for the uniqueness it lends to our lives." What a blessing that was to me!
It helps immensely to have something growing all year around. It also helps to decorate as the seasons change. This simple act of changing decor helps to enjoy the season. I'm planning to do more of this as time goes on. The little things help to pick up a dreary day. :) These are simple things that have helped me. I still have seasonal depression, but with the wonderful understanding of my beloved, some discussion with my doctor, prayer and just acceptance of my current place of living, peace has helped me to see the beauty of the seasons that God has given to us. I no longer get as depressed now as I use to. It is still there. I just know that I need to go sit in the sun by the dining room window when I teach my children in the afternoon, or sew right there. I need to make sure I take my daily vitamin D capsule and get my exercise.
Disclaimer: Please be sure to discuss all of this with your physician before trying. And with all things, pray for God's guidance and direction in your life.
Blessings,
Regina
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