‘I am really depressed, maybe you are as well’

On Thursday’s Todd Herman Show, Todd shared an email from a listener. Keith was touched by Todd’s story of how his father found release from depression at the family cabin.

“It was really the only place I saw my father play and frolick,” Todd said.

Keith wrote a beautiful note about his own battle with depression, which caused Todd to respond in A Personal Note. It wraps up The Todd Herman Show every day. Todd admitted his own depression has returned, and he shares a method he uses to decrease the effects on his mental health. You can hear Keith’s note, and Todd’s response right here.

Here is Keith’s beautiful email:

Dear Todd,

I am once again driving between Phoenix and my home in Skagit valley and I tend to binge a week or two of your shows whenever I drive this much to keep myself entertained and my mind thoughtfully active. I just wanted to share the pseudo experience we had, or I had through your personal note last week.

It is 3am and I am about 30 miles north of mount Shasta on the 5. We just had a new moon and the highway is empty so it is completely black and still outside. My family in the truck is silently sleeping as I enjoy yet another personal note marking the 4th for me that day. And I hear you talk about your grandpa’s lakehouse and how it was the only place your dad could really experience and enjoy the joy of life and family because of his depression. That story touched my heart and I found myself weeping alone on this black highway at 3am. I too struggle like your dad did with depression that some days feels like going through life with a weight vest on and other times feels like walking uphill with a semi on your back, I get it. And then you wrapped it up asking us to text you our own places of refuge and so I have waited until the end of your show today to send you a couple of my own for your enjoyment.

The first and foremost place that I go to escape the stresses and pain of life is my girlfriend of 2.5 years that I one day hope to marry. She is a wonderful nurturing woman that I do not deserve but work daily trying to. Whenever I feel those feelings, and you know those feelings i can sit with her and put my head on her and her warm embrace is so loving and accepting. I do not need to be the strong protector or provider in that moment but just her man and submit myself to the love that she pours out on me.

The second is the air. Although still in college I am a fully licensed pilot and am blessed to get to fly frequently. Being up in a small plane is a whole different world. Because of very serious injuries I have had in the past there are many things I simply cannot do on the ground and everything, including doing nothing at all, is met with varying degrees of pain. However, when I get in the plane and the wheels leave the ground all the sudden I am no longer that man, it’s like the plane is a jacket that I have put on and I feel like maverick. I can go anywhere, go fast, or low or high I do not need to fear the pain or injury and my mind is so attuned to the art of flying that there is no space left over for other things. It is a meditation of sorts with a truly epic view.

Those are two of my great escapes and just want again to say thank you for the show. I really enjoy the content but the thing that keeps me listening is your personal notes and the connection that it makes me feel to you. I truly hope we can one day be friends but for now keep up the great work and I’ll see you around. Thank you.

– Keith