The Lord is kind and merciful
After a life of hardship and struggle I was diagnosed as depressive. Prozac helped me to overcome depression and to live a more enjoyable life.
Never quite alone on life´s journey
It amazes me how I have been protected from my childhood on by God. Born just before WWII broke out, 1938 in Berlin, I now can look back on almost 70 years of life. The war was terrible for me as a child. 1944 on the 4th of July the family had to flee. I have some dark feelings caused by this flight from an army coming against Germany from the East. I lost a nanny and almost my father. He had gone back to see what was left of our belongings. Mysteriously I found him on a simple country road again, just by chance.
1945 back in Berlin
We started all over in Berlin once it was safe to return. It was a struggle and a time of hunger. Growing up in a big city I found I had a call from God to follow him more closely. So I joined the Benedictines in 1959. In 1965 I emigrated to the US where our Abbey has a house in Nebraska. 1984 I followed a call to go to Tanzania, East Africa. I stayed for six long years. After this in 1991 I went back to America till 1998. And now I am back in Germany and here to stay.
Now in 2006
For the readers sake I left out all the personal things of life in a broken family. How I had to deal with many hardships in my younger years. No wonder I have suffered from depression and anxiety all of my life. But lo and behold things have changed for the better. A Roman proverb says: “Per aspera ad astra.” Meaning: Through difficult struggles to the stars. Much of what has been rough has been accepted by me. It has become my life, my story. And yet throughout all this I have been safely protected by God´s mighty hand and shielded also by his love. Is there any better way to acknowledge this devine grace then by saying: “Thank you, Lord. After all that life has been for me, you have protected me and guided me with fatherly care”.
Prozac a big help in my recovery from depression
Let me add to this story a little since I know many people suffer also from depression. Till 1991 I was not diagnosed as depressive. However much I suffered it was not understood by those around me. And I did not understand. After meeting up finally with an enlightened therapist in Omaha, Nebraska I went on Prozac while still in the USA. That has changed my life and put me on level footing and I feel ok now. For the last 15 years, while taking Prozac, I have no more of those dark and gloomy days. However I am also not overly rejoicing. For me the way it is just feels right and that is a big change.
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