Finding Contentment

On the news today they stated that one in every twenty Americans are suffering from major depression. Middle age, working women make up the greatest percentage. Whats the deal ? How come ? I have my own theories on this, but its probably not politically correct to say that maybe if more people could be content with less in the line of material goods, that there wouldn't be so much pressure to work so hard and feel so splintered, so torn between work and family, the very thing they site as the main reason women are facing such major depression.

Sure, there are many women out there that work with real need. Single moms, etc, but I know a lot of women that work for that new car, that fancy furniture, to support their home shopping habits and for things. It becomes a vicious cycle after a while, you are stressed from working and maintaining a home, raising a family, so to deal with the stress, you shop, you eat, you collect. Now, I know I am being general here and there are a multitude of exceptions. But hearing that major depression is found in epidemic proportions in this country, kinda tells us that something is not so great about our way of life. We are not happy ! We are also lonely people. Computer friendships just don't cut it. There is nothing like a face to face connection with a friend. And we are missing out on a sense of community, knowing you have people you can count on to help you with a project, help you when you are sick, help you when there is an emergency, or just get together to celebrate. Many people just don't have "community" in their lives.

My mother had her sister, her sister in laws, her friends that she worshipped with and her craft group. She had friends that she called on the phone or that called her to come over for coffee, just to chat. She had her mother living with us, always there to give a helping hand. Many times there was just a light knock on the door, a hello and "are you busy? " A friend stopping by on her way to or from the store, just to share a bit of news or have a cup of tea. Nothing fancy, nothing planned, just the joy of friendship, sharing a worry maybe or a bit of good news. Your friends were a bit of what we call therapy. Having someone there to just listen.

Most working women are too busy to foster this kind of relationship, and women that stay home are rare and can't seem to find like minded ladies to have that kind of easiness to friendships.

Its a tough situation. I think wanting less, keeping that small house, driving that older car, having fewer gadgets, being comfortable saying no to your children when they want this or that, might just take some of the pressure off working women and we might just see lower numbers when it comes to depression and it might give more time to foster that kind of community we all seem to need.

I wrote about women grinding wheat together way back in 2006 and it seems applicable today.