This weekend in Commerce, there will be a 5K run and event honoring the late Dr. Dan Jones, our Alma Mater’s President from 2009-2016. During that time, our institution grew exponentially in enrollment, endowment, and some great things happened. Our Education school was ranked number 1 in the State of Texas and 13th in the entire nation. Our storied Football program came back to national prominence, and did just about all our athletics. Our Graduate Business Program was named among the tops in the entire country. Alums that had not been back in years were coming back, and there was a sense of pride not seen in many years. The days of proudly wearing Blue and Gold were back.

Dan Jones was a driving force behind that, our School’s resurgence in all of its endeavors. When you met Dan Jones, you could see how proud he was of the school. He loved the students. He loved the alums. He loved Commerce. He wore his conference championship ring with pride. He smiled ear to ear when we cut down the nets in 2015 after winning the Lone Star Conference Championship, and he saw how his leadership was rapidly expanding that little school on the Blackland Prairies of Northeast Texas was turning into a Super modern institution of higher learning with a storied history and a bright future.

However, behind all of that, Dr. Jones sadly battled depression, and in the end, it took his life. Anytime anyone takes their life is tragic, but when one asks the question; “Why?” it just never makes sense.

I can speak from experience. I have generalized anxiety (which is very close to clinical depression) and have had it for close to 10 years. The stigma surrounding it is still real, and the stigma is what makes it worse than anything. Nobody really knows why people develop these things. People would look at a man like Dan Jones and think “What does he have to be sad about? He is the President of a Major University and has a beautiful Wife and Children. He is living the dream!”

You could say that about me and millions of others who struggle with this. My life on the outside looks pretty good too. However the reality of the struggle of mental health problems in this country is real, and the antiquated and ignorant views of many people do not help. I don’t know what causes it, but I know what makes it worse, and that is people who have no idea what people are going through trying to Monday Morning quarterback the situation. Sometimes people just feel a certain way and that is all there is to it, there is no answer for the question “Why?”

There is an old Gospel Folk song called “A Satisfied Mind”, let me post the lyrics.