One key to surviving depression is gratitude.
Every day I write about what I am grateful for,
even if it is just a line during the day in my journal.
The more depressed I am the more I do gratitude if I want to move away from the dark matter
looming in the corners of my vision, waiting to slip into my consciousness.

I record joyful moments.

But no mistake, I also record the horrendous.
Right there in my art journal or writing journal next to the gratitude.
Writing it down, sometimes creating an image, releases it from my mind.

But daily I write and draw gratitude.

This morning I am grateful for sleeping in late again.
I am grateful for Mitchell doing “Tiger Cat” with Izzee on the bed,
and that he loves her more than a perfectly made bed..
I am grateful that we get to have the cats with us while we work.
I am grateful that the crows and pigeons love my feeding them,
and that we have good food to eat.
I am grateful for making marks, and sharing them with you all.
I am grateful that Mitchell gets as much joy from the huge cat forts I build to amuse them,
even though we have to walk around them all day long (image coming)!
I am grateful that he cleans up the vomit!
Most of all I am grateful for Mitchell loving me, and for loving him.