It's been with me my whole life,

I never had a decision.

Some days were good,

some were bad.

At one point,

it made me want to give up.

At others,

it made me thrive.

There were tears and blood,

medication and doctors.

But all lead to the person,

the person I am today.

It may be a bad thing,

but it has great outcomes.

Pushing me through tough times,

and molding me into a great person.

Showing me my weaknesses,

allowing me to fix them.

Giving me a story to tell,

a story of hope,

love,

and strength.

A story of depression,

tears,

and sorrow.

Depression is an illness,

an illness I live with. 

It is not me,

but something that has created me

to be better.

I am not ashamed of it,

for it has taught me.

Taught me to appreciate the good times,

to handle the bad,

to be the best me that I can be,

and to help others to learn the things that it has taught me.

Depression is handled by the strongest

and the bravest.