Fog Lines
On the right side of most major roadways is a white line. It is called the‘Fog Line’ because during thick fog it can be used as a guide for cars and trucks on the road. Years ago my family and some friends were traveling from Washington to Arizona (and that is another post for another time.) I was asleep while another adult was driving. I woke to the car slowing down, and exiting I-5. The fog had become so thick that the driver was following the fog line – to an exit ramp! I was fully awake now, wondering why the unplanned stop. The driver explained she was just following the fog line – and was as surprised as I was to be on an exit ramp!
When the fog of depression thickens there are hours, days, weeks, seasons where I simply follow the ‘fog line.’ The fog line in my life consists of the simple tasks I do each day.
The fog this time of year pictures my experience with depression. Some days the fog burn off quickly and I can see through the depression. Some days the fog is thick, heavy, and doesn’t burn off. Those days are hard. When the fog is thick it is hard to see past the immediate circumstances. That’s where a fog line is helpful. The ‘fog line’ for me is made up of the simple and necessary choices for each day – what should I wear; what foods will I eat; and choosing what tasks are absolutely necessary for this day.
Fog lines do lead to safety. The fog didn’t lift that night many years ago. Arriving safely at a service station didn’t change the fog. Instead, getting out of the car, taking a brief walk around the service station, changed me – and I was able to drive through the fog until it did lift. Some days it’s all I can do to follow the fog line. The fog will lift. In the meantime, I’m sticking to the fog line