Eyes like grit. Sore gum. Feeling tired, under pressure and wondering if a person I know is right...but I'm sure he isn't. This person is often depressed and feels that if he has two consecutive good days, the third has to be bad. He believes that it doesn't work that someone can feel good all week...not for him anyway. What right have I to be happy? I don't deserve good things happening in my life!
I found it difficult to respond. You don't tell anyone feeling so low to snap out of it. You don't tell them they are talking rubbish. The thought occurred to me that if this is his third day, does spending time with me constitute a bad experience? I concluded that I shouldn't be flippant and If they are talking to me at all, it means that I am approachable and it's enough to just listen for a long time before saying anything.
I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to yesterday but pleased that someone feels they can bare their soul. We both felt the better for it.
A good night's sleep will sort the gritty eyes out. The sore gum won't be so sore tomorrow. Being wise with my time tomorrow evening will ease the pressure for what threatens next week.
Martin & Sarah still falling foul of volcano dust in SLC. We are missing them now...who'd have thought I'd find myself saying that! Okay...you know I'm kidding!
Tomorrow is a special day I notice.
I hate myself for saying this but being unwitting counsellor to people like that grinds me down. I end up nearly as depressed as them, thinking well maybe he/she's got a point and life is pretty cr*p after all, it's just that I hadn't noticed.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, being approachable and being able to help just by listening and sympathising is something that not everyone can do. It's important to give people some of your valuable time sometimes.
If you expect the third day to be miserable...isn't there the danger of a self fulfilling phophesy?
ReplyDeleteI see life as being full of little (and sometimes big) ups and downs. It's just how it goes. A life lived will have both. The danger would be if you were always down (mental health issues?) or always up (taking drugs?). I think it's wise to ride the 'downs', not panic and know there'll be an up again at some point. I always find there are things I can do that suit little downs - like read, play music, go for a walk....actually, I don't have many downs...perhaps it's all the doing!
I love your musings Ken D!
Yep, agree with both these wise ladies before me.
ReplyDeleteHi Jean
ReplyDeleteIf nothing else, you are honest...and a little funny as in humour funny. I's my experience though, that you appreciate your not having to be struggling with depression when you come face to face with it in someone else. It's not much fun for them.
Are you back home now? Was it good? Need I ask?
Hi Molly P
I think you are absolutely right. It's a cycle difficult to break. How would you break it? I think you have wise words too in riding the 'downs. Are you sure you're just pleasantly floundering around?
Hi Julie
After reading a lot of your reader's responses, I'm tempted to say the same thing. You see quite a mix of wisdom and empathy... and perhaps comments that fit neither of these.