Sometimes it is helpful to look at something s opposite in order to understand what we mean. Now, the opposite of depression is delight, being spontaneously surprised by the goodness and beauty of living. It is that which C.S. Lewis describes in his autobiography, Surprised by Joy . By definition, joy is surprising. That s what it means to not be depressed.
Delight is rare for adults.
If you want to know what delight looks like, go by any school yard when kids .little kids up to about the first grade come out for recess. They just run around and shriek. Now, that s delight a spontaneous response to the goodness and beauty of life. It interferes with our depression. When we have trouble accessing the holy, accessing divine energy, accessing the life force, the erotic, we struggle with depression.