Photo taken by contributor Lakesh, a woman in her thirties who serves as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Her first experience with depression came through a relationship. It was filled with ups and downs, and both pockets of joy and memorable disappointments. The relationship has since ended but that experience has changed her perspective on mental illness. She will forever be grateful for the lessons they taught each other.

About this photo: “I have relocated to North Carolina and while on a walk-about I noticed a row of mailboxes. I giggled at their likeness to people I’ve met throughout my travels. The people of Eastern Europe have struggled with being seen and heard, yet they continue to stand firm in their convictions. North Easterners have reached, and some would say have surpassed their pillar of resistance, yet they find ways to build community in spite of their differences. From the looks of it, these mailboxes have endured what seems to be a harsh mailbox life, and yet they remain standing leading me to question how hard it is however crucial to stay firm and gracious while in a cycle of withstanding the best and worst of times?”

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