Depression Today I feel sad and upset in a way I've never experienced before. There was a family that passed away after a mortar bomb had hit their flat. I really feel sorry for them, but I was unbelievably calm about it then I realised that I no longer remember when was the last time I cried. My grandfather died 3 months ago and I still can't forgive myself for not dropping a tear. I used to care a lot about every single person on this planet but now I'm worried that the war is changing my personality into someone I don't want to be and sometimes, every time and a while, I feel like I don't have any feelings anymore. After being the top student in school and university, now I can barely open a book and I'm afraid of failing. I used to watch the Friends series when I feel depressed and start remembering then the good old days but now nothing seems to be able to cheer me up. I want to talk to someone about it but I've never shared my feelings with other. I always smile in public and have never showed weekness. Even now when I'm writing here on italki I'm not using my real name because I don't want some friend to see this and get into a conversation about it.

Short story for Al-Jahiz (an Arabic writer) translated into English by me Once upon a time, someone came to visit a stingy friend of his. After the guest had arrived, the host called his son and said to him: "Son, we have a very dear friend so go and buy us half kilo of the finest meat." The boy went and came back after a while with empty hands. "Where is the meat?" his father asked. The boy answered: "Well... I went to the butcher and asked him to give me his finest meat. And the butcher said: "I'll give you meat that is like butter." Then I said to myself: if so, why don't I buy butter instead of meat! So I went to the spice dealer and said to him: "Give me your finest butter!". And he said: "I shall give you a butter that is like treacle." Again I said to myself: if so, I shall buy treacle instead." Then I went to treacle seller and said to him: "Give me your finest treacle!" And the guy said "I'll give you a treacle that is like pure water." And I said to myself: if so, we have pure water at home and so I came back." His dad said: "Attaboy.. You're so clever but you missed something son: You have consumed your shoes while going from one shop to another." The boy replied: "No I didn't, I was wearing our guest's shoes."

Short story Once upon a time, someone came to visit a stingy friend of his. After the guest had arrived, the host called his son and said to him: "Son, we have a very dear friend so go and buy us half kilo of the finest meat." The boy went and came back after a while with empty hands. "Where is the meat?" his father asked. The boy answered: "Well... I went to the butcher and asked him to give me his finest meat. And the butcher said: "I'll give you meat that is like butter." Then I said to myself: if so, why don't I buy butter instead of meat! So I went to the spice dealer and said to him: "Give me your finest butter!". And he said: "I shall give you a butter that is like treacle." Again I said to myself: if so, I shall buy treacle instead." Then I went to treacle seller and said to him: "Give me your finest treacle!" And the guy said "I'll give you a treacle that is like pure water." And I said to myself: if so, we have pure water at home and so I came back." His dad said: "Attaboy.. You're so clever but you missed something son: You have consumed your shoes while going from one shop to another." The boy replied: "No I didn't, I was wearing our guest's shoes."