Dignity Is Slowly Returning

"Winter Clouds" | Gouache | 2016 Most of us have the need to do something exceptional—to be special. This compulsion has always been a catalyst for human exploration and advancement. We want our lives to matter. I have met many people who experience a crisis if this need goes unfulfilled, if they believe they can’t contribute anything of value to the world.

As someone who has struggled with depression for most of my adult life, I finally understand that my illness has been all about self-...