A Sadly Depression

"For this reason, It could also lead to a sadly depression." 

I hate it when that happens. What about you? I hate it when I read stuff such as this on student papers. This is one of the better bad sentences I have read in the past few minutes. I have just been led to a sadly depression, and with every sentence I read, it only gets worse.

Before God Almighty, this semester I have used every trick, method, idea, and ounce of energy to do the best I could in teaching students to write better. I seem to be failing terribly. 

Don't get me wrong. I am not one of these people who goes around talking about how unsmart this generation of college freshmen and freshwomens is (see what I did there?). OK, I am. But you would too if you had had my experience. 

I suppose it is impossible to make up a lifetime of not writing with a few weeks of scribbling words and near words. That is what I am telling myself now, but somehow that is not good enough. Between the last sentence and this one, I simply glanced down at a student paper and read this:

   "The Delta suffered with the health issues during the time of the Civil War."

This is a report on diabetes in the Mississippi Delta, which I have sadly learned that my students cannot find on a map. They were supposed to be writing about our current health epidemic. Where in Hades does the Civil War invade this simple report?

Pardon me while a vent a bit. I could tell you a whole lot more, but you also might get the sadly depression so I'll spare you the trouble.

OK, I just walked off, went to my office, and ate a Snickers Bar. I also refilled my coffee mug. I feel better now. I can make it. The world, my world, is still a problematic place, but "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."