For years I have said that key to recovering from depression is to never give up–to pick yourself up each time you fall. This truth was recently demonstrated and witnessed by millions of people when the American ice skater Jeremy Abbot had a severe crash within the first minutes of his Olympic short program ice skating routine. For a moment he lay on ice, writhing in pain. It was unclear if he would get up. But buoyed by the cheers of the crowd, Abbot not only continued his program, but landed the next two jumps flawlessly.
In the post skate interview after the event, Jeremy said, “I think my personal story has always been about perseverance and always getting up when you fall, so maybe I’m not Olympic champion, but if nothing else I can teach to world that you can get up.”
The outpouring of public support was overwhelming, as Jeremy received dozens of amazing comment on his Facebook page.
What does this teach those of us who are struggling with depression and anxiety? It is to never give up. Every setback can be followed by a corresponding gain. As the Buddha said over 2,500 years ago, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
P.S. For those of you who did not see Jeremy’s amazing display of courage and grit, here is the video of the full program from NBC’s olympic website.
http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/abbott-finishes-after-frightening-fall
