Thanks a lot.....Warning, this is long

I know that this is a Maverick/Comet message board, but I need to get this out. I just wanted to say Thank you to everyone on here for what you have done for me over the last few years. Each time I have a problem, ya'll are there for me. Any time I have a question (no matter how stupid it is) I always get good advice and good answers. This is gonna get a little personal but I have to make you all realize why I appreciate each of you so much.

The last few years I have had off and on problems with depression. I don't understand why I get down, or even why I let myself get down, but it happens. It has been getting better, but it still comes around every so often. Most people don't realize that I have this problem, because I haven't let it be generally known. People don't understand how I can be depressed because it seems like I have the world by the tail. In high school, I always had really good grades, I worked, tried to help people out, and have had a great family to encourage me. My parents and my sister have always been loving and caring and I owe a lot to them. I always volunteered and helped out anyone that I could. That was when I was the most happy- helping people. However, with my peers, I wasn't one of the "in" crowd. I didn't go out and drink with the other folks at school, didn't do drugs (and still don't!!)didn't cause trouble, and didn't play sports. I was respected, but treated like an outsider. I never had any true friends my age. All of my friends were adults. While I treasured (and still do) all of my adult friends, a person gets lonely for the companionship of their peers. I did have a girlfriend my senior year but I'll get to that. When I graduated, the town (very small town) had really high expectations of me for college. But when I got to college I was miserable. I never learned how to study, so college has been pure hell on me. I grew up in the country (I was 20 miles from a loaf of bread) and went to a very small school. I moved to Lake Charles for school and the transition was horrible. If I hadn't had a vehicle I would have gone insane. Sometimes the noise and the lights was just too much and I would have to get out. I would just drive around at night and see new places. I made a couple of friends only to have them turn on me and hurt me. My girlfriend and I, after dating about a year broke up and it ended really badly. So I didn't have any friends, family was back home, and I didn't have anybody I felt I could talk to. I just held it in for so long, and tried to pretend I was okay. I wasn't. I steadily fell deeper into depression and it got worse and worse. But here is where it gets better. It seems like every time I get down bad, or if I have trouble of some kind, the people of this board are there to help. You may not realize it, but just a simple acknowledgement that you are listening or care about someone's problems (mechanical or otherwise) can make such a differnce at a bad time. Every time you gave encouragement on the car, it really picked me up emotionally. It showed that you cared. You folks will never realize how much you have helped me out in my life. The fact that you all pull together for each other amazes me. Most people now days don't care enough about their fellow man to even speak to them-much less encourage them. Tonight I was really really down, and came to the computer to make a CD. (Music is an outlet for me) and out of habit I checked the board. As I read a couple of the posts I realized once again how you guys always seem to make me feel like a real person. You seem to actually want to help everyone out. I won't lie, I am not the crying type, but I sat here and cryed like a baby. Then I started to feel better and gradually pulled out of tonight's bout with depression. I just want each of you to know how much it means to me to know that you people are here to help and support each member in their endeavors. I wanted to say thanks because for a person with a lot of aquantinces but few real friends, you people mean more than you can imagine. I am proud and honored to be a part of such a group and I consider each of you a real friend. I am forever in debt to you all for that. I'm very sorry that this was so long, but I had to try to explain how much I mean THANK YOU! Night. Preston

Oh- and by the way- That crying part up there.......can we forget about that..... Preston

 

Depression is something that is hard for most people to wrap their brains around. I also find myself feeling that way sometimes in spite of how good I have it. I applaud you for being able to speak up about it. You are a valued member of this board, and almost always one of the first to reach out and encourage someone that needs it. I'm glad we can do the same for you. Keep it up buddy!

 

Preston I know how you feal , the people on this forum are the only friends I have . If it wasn`t for Matt and Nutt I wouldn`t get out of the house except to walk the dogs .

 

I know how you guys feel. Preston's high school years sound very similar to my own. The MMB has been a great sorce of "friendship" for me also. We're all "Mavericks" in our own way. Keep the faith, we're all in this together. Russ

 

Truth be told I am a maniac depressant. I just go with the flow though. If i am maniac I tend to do alot of things in bursts. If I am depressed I shut down and an avoid everybody but my inner circle(my wife cuz she is always there) I refuse to take meds. JMO but I was a big time partier a few years back and have that addictive personality so I avoid any and all meds..........It is like any other problem. Admit it(which you have) and and manage it. Good Luck. As far as the crying goes every BIG boy cries at one time or another we just do not talk about it.

 

We are here for you Country. Everyone needs a little Maverick in their lives, problem is most people don't know where to find it. You do.

 

I know where you are coming from Preston. I was an outsider in high school also. I had no friends & was considered a loner. That all changed when I joined the Navy 7 days after I graduated. I retired from the Navy 20 1/2 years later. When I purchased my first 73 Comet 5 years ago, I found this club site & board. I wouldn't change anything for the friends I have found here. That's why I became the State Rep for the club. Can't find better people, than we have on this board & in the club. Reminds me of the tight knit people in the Navy. Always there for you, & never put you down for a stupid or dumb question. Hang in there Preston, we're here for you.

 

You are not alone with your feelings Preston. I grew up with a father who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. ( and BTW, he was a mailman. Go figure). As a result of his wild and sometime homocidal delusions, my mother and I both suffered from varing degrees of depression. My Mom spent years taking tranqilizers to cope with his behavior, while I learned how to block out the worst times from my memory. To this day there are events that I can not for the life of me remember. Things got much better when my Mom finally had enough and packed up me and our animals and left him for good. My older sister is also not quite right in the head, but she will not accept it. After my Mom passed away and I ended up renting a house from my sister, she tried her hardest to srcrew up my life as much as she could. Because of her constant crap, I ended up being forced to move out of the house I rented from her with no warning. I had no roof over my head, was forced to sell half my furniture and had to part ways with my beloved 1969 Mustang Mach 1 just so I could afford another place to live. I became so depressed that I felt I nothing to live for anymore. Thankfully I had a small circle of friends who helped me through the bad times and got my head back together. And I realized something else. I realized that I was better than all this crap in my life, and I refused to let it get me down anymore. As drastic as it sounds, I broke all ties with my sister and my immediate family and I have never been happier. But the thing that helped the most was having people to talk to who understood my problems. Not shrinks, just regular folks. People like the ones here on this board who treat everyone like an equal. That can make all the difference in the world. Don't let the bad times drag you down. You have friends here who will never think any less of you and will always accept you no matter what. Lets just call it the Power of the Maverick!

 

Think

Preston, I believe each one of us is a miracle, God is happy with you! Pray to find ways to be happy with yourself and others. Think positive only.

 

I think each and every one of us can pick at least one and for some several things that relates to our own lives in the above thread. For me, I am a very very lucky soul. Lucky in the fact that I had fine parents. Dad always said," Give more to life than you take from it". I see alot of that going on within the people that own these cars. Why it seems the Maverick/Comet people are this way. I have no clue. But I am thankful.
Dan

 

Thanks for the feedback ya'll. Like I said, it really means a lot. I'm feeling much better today; as I said, it comes and goes. Today is a B-E-A-yoootiful day, and I have been in and out of the apt. enjoying it. Thanks again for the response, and ya'll take care! Preston

 

Oh jeez...I think each and every one of us can relate to you, Preston. Myself included. I found ways to deal with being down...usually just working on something (which its not hard to find something broken around here ) or just reading. Last big battle I had with myself was a few years back when a girl and I were having some problems and I about went off the deep end. There was one night when we both sat down and talked through our issues and after we parted ways (last time we talked and last time we'll ever talk) I went to a mountain not far from here and opened up a Bible that another friend had given to me. I opened to the book of Philippians chapter 4 and the first line that caught my eye was verse 13. Read it for yourself and give it some thought.

 

Preston, I"m probably the worst in trying to answer detailed trouble shooting threads or having good mechanical advise on this website but I might be able to help you. It takes a real big person to come forth and talk about problems in their life. I also have had bad times and thought things would never improve. I would turn to God in prayer and ask him to help me through the troubled times. God has always been there for me. Maybe not in the way I wanted but in other ways that had the same conclusion. When your feeling down say alittle prayer. I'll pray for you also.
Ken

 

preston, i have to agree with you about this board. i always look to it for my daily fix. even if i don't answer any posts that day, it's great feeling like i'm a part of a great group. this group is like an extended family. we care about each other and feel each others pain. we also celebrate each others joys. gotta go before i start crying myself. take care and remember us whenever you need to.