An eye-opener

By Fr Wilfred John, San Fernando

The name of the book is Fighting the Big D.

In this neat, easy to read book of 74 pages, Maureen gives a first-hand account of her battle with depression.

This book is an eye-opener for those of us for whom ‘depression’ is but a word, which we hear about, read about, but have never experienced ourselves.

I know Maureen, since she is a parishioner of St John’s Diego Martin, where I had the great pleasure of being parish priest for  five years.

I have read her book and I can honestly say that I have been edified, fascinated, and bowled over by her honesty and her willingness to share with the reader, her struggle, her sense of helplessness, her despair as she was helped to come out of her dark hole of despondency, near loss of faith and overwhelming pain.

She credits her recovery to faith in God, the love of her family and the sacrificial love of those who journeyed with her in those times when she felt abandoned, incapable of making logical, sensible, or reasonable  decisions for herself.

Her exhortation to “pray for the strength to continue, one day at a time, and to put the puzzle together, piece by piece” is certainly inspiring.

I have some idea now of what depression does to its victims.

I recommend this easy-to-read book as a must-have, in these challenging and faith-shattering times.