What do you think when you see this drawing?
It was inspired by a dream that came to me many times when life looked so bleak. Many things went wrong all at once. This was before I understood my depression. Depression left me feeling antisocial and not wanting to trust anyone around me as I had my trust broken many times.
These difficult times left me feeling the need for a safe harbour, I found that in the teachings of Buddha and other wise people. So in this dream, this image, it shows the safety I felt being guided by the hand of Buddha. He teaches us that a lotus flower grows from the mud, that beautiful things can come from adversity. These teachings gave me hope and strength and reminded me that I am not alone; that light can shine through the dark.
I sketched my dream, adding details like the “áo dài” - my favorite Vietnamese traditional dress; and the finger touching the hair, a sign of tender love.
Now that I look back at this picture, the dark times do not seem as bad, it reminds me that from my struggles with depression, I have come out stronger and happier. I am able to appreciate the good things in life more.
It also lead me to meditation and art, which have been great for me and my development to become a more balanced person.
My depression made me take time to understand myself better and helped me become a good listener to others going through a similar journey, bringing me closer to them.
So if you’re struggling today, it’s okay - it will not last forever, remember:
