It’s a beautiful sunny day in Exeter, the grounds around the Dudley House are being mowed, and the spring flowers are at war with the dandelions and elm seedlings.

Most people see this as a joyful time, but in my early 20s I felt a seasonal depression that still pulls at my emotions. I went to college for one year, worked the next, went a second year, returned to work, and did not return to my studies; for me, spring meant leaving my school life behind for the loneliness of my hometown. My thoughts still turn to the friendships that did not have time to develop, the directions I could have gone.

Later, I learned about seasonal affective disorder, which typically hits during the short, cold days of winter. Our bodies and our experiences effect our outlook, making us sullen when everyone else is putting up Christmas decorations or building bouquets from the garden. I eventually learned to appreciate spring again - being a homeowner in New England certainly attributes. If you have a season or holiday that used to depress you, have you “snapped out of it” or do you still struggle?