Dr. Nicole's Cure for Depression

The next time you are feeling bummed about your life, try this:

Spend the day at a huge museum devoted to war. If you can do this on a rainy day, all the better. Be sure to spend plenty of time walking in the rain looking at memorials to the victims and trying to grapple with the sheer number of people whose lives have been destroyed by war. Then, take the time to explore the retired planes and tanks and helicopters, and marvel at man's ability to create machines that are designed to kill. Be sure to note the amount of money that goes into making those machines, remembering that today we use ones that are far more expensive and destructive than the ones that have been retired to the museum. Once you have had your fill outside, spend ample time inside the museum, further contemplating the horrors of war. Walk back out into the rain, past the walls inscribed with the names of thousands upon thousands who died fighting in just one war, being sure to remember that those names only represent one of many wars. And then, go home and watch a three hour war movie, preferably one that involves families being torn apart. After the movie ends, have a good cry, and reflect upon the countless number of people throughout history that have been directly affected by the horror of war, and remember that you are not one of those people. You, at least so far, are one of the lucky ones.

If this does provide a much needed slap in the face to remind you that your life is good, I don't know what will.

This is what I did last Saturday, and the whole day was beautifully depressing. I had been feeling down in the dumps most of the week, for no particular reason at all, expect that somehow my life just did not seem worth getting excited about. The War Museum had been high on my list of places to go for sometime, so when I woke up and saw the dreary rain, I decided there was no better day to immerse myself in war. I spent the morning out at the Seoul War Memorial, a sprawling and beautifully done museum devoted primarily to the Korean War (Or June 25 War as it is called here). The afternoon was devoted to writing in my journal at a coffee shop, and the evening to watching Taeguki, a fantastic movie about two brothers in the Korean War. I was alone the entire day, deep in thought about a subject that is probably one of my least favorite things to think about.

I woke up the next day feeling glad to be alive.

At one point during the movie however, I was haunted by a thought. It is a thought that pops into my mind occasionally and lingers for a few moments before I banish it to the dark recesses of my brain where I keep the things that are too unnerving to think about. The thought was prompted when I was reflecting on the overall picture of Korea's history -- loaded with war, oppression, violence and poverty. When one recalls the hell Koreans have been through for most of their existence, it really blows the mind to see how well the nation is doing today. I was in the middle of thinking how wonderful it is that Korea is so prosperous and secure today, when the thought came. Oh yeah, North Korea.

It's interesting how easy it is to not think about the fact that I am living only about an hour away from the world's most heavily fortified border, a border shared with an isolationist, rogue nation led by a crazy man who starves his people to pay for the military. Not only that, but the fact that this nation may have nuclear weapons. Don't forget that no treaty was ever signed between North and South Korea. If war was to break out again, I am living in what is probably the most dangerous place to be. When I do think about this now and again, I mean really think about it, I do get a little freaked out. Am I foolish to chose to be in a place that could potentially erupt into war at anytime? Just because there has been peace for over 50 years does not mean there will always be. What if the two Koreas do go to war again? What if it happens while I am here?

In the end though, I think it's better to live my life as I want to, without letting fear of the what if's dictate what I do and where I go. There is a choice between letting life be overshadowed by the frightening possibilities, or maintaining that that is all they are -- possibilities. For now, I am thankful that my life so far has been as good as it has, and I can only hope that I am fortunate enough to have it last.

A statue outside the musuem.

The underside of a B-52. (These things are huge!)

A row of tanks lined up peacefully in the rain creates an eerie scene.

The nose of a plane with Seoul Tower in the background.

Inside the musuem are recreated scenes of life during wartime.

And to end on a lighter note -- the lower floor of the museum houses rotating displays. Currently they are constructing one that appears to be devoted to exploring the human body. So underneath hanging model warplanes is a brightly colored area where little kids will soon be running around learning about what's inside their bodies, in a very intimate way.

Look at the middle left -- see the baby butt tunnel??