It was a fifteen year old kid that on top of going through some of the most awkward and defining years of his life, was taking depression pills and really only had one true friend and he felt as though he was ruining their relationship. I did realize that he was extremely likely he would have been the kid that I would have called weird in high school, completely misunderstood, and overall avoided. I do realize too though that it is going to be next to impossible to expect high school students to ever get completely along, and there will always be that those few people who don't quite get in with the rest of the high school students.
That's not really the point however, the point is getting him to the next period in life where he will realize that the judgment in high school just doesn't matter anymore. I wasn't an disliked person in high school by any means, but I certainly had some social anxiety. Coming to college made me realize that high school just simply does not matter at all. I barely keep in touch with anyone and have made a lot of amazing college friends.
Still, my challenge in talking to this kid was "what do I say?" I have a hard time finding how to value my own life, how I am supposed to help this depressed, socially awkward and anxious kid? At first we just simply talked about what was going on in his life, does he see a counselor, how do antidepressants work for him... then I asked him what his life goals were.
"None."
Admittedly, that took me aback. No matter what, I have always had some kind of goal to hold onto. To travel somewhere, to have a kid, have a husband, have a lot of books. I had originally intended on holding onto these goals and pushing them forward, but with a statement like that... I didn't know what to do.
Eventually, after me asking him more questions and talking some, he asked me what keeps me going everyday. I told him a few things like my goals, traveling - and none excited him. If anything, I feared that they depressed him even more. Goals come with stresses that he wouldn't even care about if he were dead, he didn't like airplanes.
Out of the blue, I decided to go into what I am currently studying: science, technology and society. The future progression of humans, our technology and science achievements, and how they are exponentially growing. I introduced him to today's great minds such as Ray Kurzweil and their ideas, like the Heaven Scenario. If I were able to actually see him, I think I would have seen his face lit up. I immediately noticed a change, a suddenly more positive person.
The future is exciting.
The future is exciting... that idea is what brought him out of a rather major rut in his life. So, if you are having an especially bad day, finding that life is pointless... well... look forward to the future. There is a lot coming that may blow your mind, and don't you want to stick around to see it all happen?
There are many people who believe we will be able to reach a point within my generation's lifetime where age and all diseases will be cured. We may be able to live an almost indefinite period of time.
There are others who believe we will destroy ourselves.
Either way, the future is worth sticking around for. Your life is almost meaningless in the largeness of things - but I don't believe that is bad. We are one of the first generations who really are able to understand the vastness of the universe and what tiny part we make of it. We are one of the first generations to break out of the idea of limitations, and instead know that we really don't know everything. Something new is created almost everyday now, and I think we have reached the fast curve of technology's exponential change.
I cannot imagine what could possibly come after Project Glass or SixthSense, but I am sensible enough to know that there will be something.
The future, again, is exciting. Look forward to it.
Almost as a side note, if you are unhappy... always remember you don't have to be. You are entire control of your life, do what you want to do.
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