I have plans to renovate my apartment this year. Since I have to empty the whole flat, I had to look for a condo unit. Which made me get in touch with my ex-housing agent, incidentally my friend’s father. He had sourced my current apartment for us a decade ago. We met up for afternoon tea today.

It has been a couple of years since we last met. Things have changed drastically on his end. He shared that he is managing his depression. Apparently, his wife was diagnosed with cancer, and being the main caretaker made him feel burnt out. Luckily, his children have intervened and given him more support in regard to taking care of their mother. He even gets to stay with his daughter for some days in a week so that he doesn’t have to be in an intense pressure cooker perpetually. He is also taking medication for his depression.

Prior to meeting him, I was thinking about the hassle I had to undergo in order to make it work. Leave school on the dot and all that. I guess I’m glad to do that, because I provided an opportunity for him to take a breather and unload some of his cognitive and emotional load.

Also a bit stunned about how depression can strike anyone at any point in time, even if the said person is in his 70s. Maybe in life, there will be that one challenge that will push us to the brink of despair?