I have never met an old peasant to have ever suffered of depression.
They worked more than us. Their work usually started from early morning but when the man felt he was tired, he sat under the shadow of an old walnut tree for as long as necessary.
They had enough worries. They had 8-12 children who took care of one another by turns. Their women did not give birth in private clinics, with four doctors of different specializations, when the moment came while they were gathering hay they gave birth with the help of the midwife from the village or they managed to do this alone.
They had troubles. An animal got sick or a field did not give its fruit cause of the lack of rain and drought.
They did not schedule their weddings years before as the `room` was always available. They were not much concerned about the menus as everyone ate what he had brought from home and from what surplus he had he gave to the others. Then you didn`t hear about any divorce and if this exception happened, it was the shame of the village.
To go in town to a doctor sometimes it took 2-3 days in the cart. Some who were sicker didn`t reach the place at all.
But how to have depression when everything was left in God`s care ?
The man prayed when he dug his well and when something dirty fell into it called the priest to bless the place and expel the illusion.
He did not sit at the table like a thief without thanking to the heavenly Father and making the sign of the cross on the bread before breaking it.
If he planted vineyard he called God. When it was time for its harvest he took grapes and other fruit to the church
He took a bath on Saturday night to be clean before God and the best clothes were only for the church.
Today in the desire to do everything by ourselves we stand in a row for a green prescription.
But what a sad image, to laugh about those who call the skies for help and then to run to stop your cry with a pill…
Priest Bogdan Chiorean
