I struggled with this question a few years ago while bed-ridden with severe fatigue and depression. I was utterly broken, fried, disabled and couldn't do anything more than roll out of bed to pee and eat once in awhile. As I lay there, day after day, too weary to sleep, and too physically exhausted to get out of bed, I started wondering why I was still alive. I was good for nothing. A miserable burden to myself and everyone around me.

It was a long dark night, and there often seemed to be no point in waking up in the morning. But deep inside of me, I already knew that death wasn't the answer. I knew that as long as I was still breathing, there was a reason that I was still alive.

So I had to hunt for that reason. What possible use could I be to God, hubby or anyone in the condition I was in, completely unable to get out of that bed, unable even to read, write or care about anything or anyone.

The answer was a long time coming, but when it came, it was so simple, it made me weep. In God's eyes, just breathing was enough. "You are worthwhile simply because you exist" were the words He planted in my soul. Very simple, but those words, that love and mercy, settled into my deepest wounded being and took root there and healing began. I found myself able to begin replacing my weeping searching with what little I COULD do from my bed...prayer...praying for people, I prayed for people for hours. Slowly but surely I started to find enough energy to begin "rewiring my attic", getting my mind untangled from all the lies that were feeding my self-loathing.

Recovery was very slow, still on-going. For a long time, I couldn't allow anyone else into my life except my husband and brother. Then slowly I was able to allow others to come in, for brief visits, at arms length. I'm still not comfortable with too many people in my life at one time and sometimes have to pull back.

But there came a point a few months ago when it was time to reach out beyond that shrunken world, and that's when I stumbled into this site. Being here, and witnessing the healing that's been going on inside of me since my arrival here, I am convinced that simply learning to love each other authentically, one person at a time if that's all we can handle at the moment, and allowing ourselves to be loved in return is the most crucial, healing thing we can do for ourselves, God, others and the world at large.

Sorry for the long-winded answer. Again.