While war and poor economic conditions begin to affect people allover the world, more and more people suffer with depression. The more we focus on news events and the business climate, the more we are depressed. Whatever the reason you feel is the cause of your depression, the following five simple tips guarantee you reduce it significantly.

Don't be shy. Talk to the bereaved, even if you are uncomfortable doing so. Remember that they are in far more discomfort than you. Call or email to say that you are thinking of them and would like to be useful.

Volunteer to drive them places. They will have immediate chores to do at a bank, a funeral home, and an attorney's office. Often they prefer company while doing these tasks but if not then you simply wait in the car.

Volunteer to bring over food. After the initial week or two, most family members will have resumed their usual schedules and are no longer available to literally cater to the bereaved. If the person says that they don't want anything then bring over soup and ice cream. Those are the best foods for a person in mourning because they contain enough calories to maintain nutrition yet require no biting and chewing. It is often difficult to bite or chew when deeply aggrieved.

“Only the dead have seen the end of war.” — Plato

Everybody loves a long weekend. But this year's Memorial Day ought to be a lot more meaningful to all of us. We need to see it as a chance to pray for lasting peace and for our President, that he may lead our country to a new vision. Otherwise, our future will be marked by continuous open-ended global warfare, and we will have many more deaths to commemorate with each passing Memorial Day.

It was March 2001, and Karen (not her real name) was in finals week at the college she attended. She took a break from studying and went to a yoga class with her mom. When they arrived home, Karen's dad wasn't there and didn't arrive home that evening. "My dad always came home after work," Karen said. "It still feels surreal."