I apologize to any and all who already saw this on my Facebook. My friend posted this today. It is DEFINITELY not my own and I hope I'm not breaking any rules by posting it, but this did make me think and I wanted to share with you my deep (and not-so-deep) thoughts.
So, here's the deep thoughts--How and when and why did we ever get to the point that inspirational sayings make or break us? Beautiful pictures and sayings with rainbows and unicorn poop that make us feel good about ourselves...or at least, feel good about the crap happening in our lives?
Are we reduced to placations and platitudes? Is that what we've come to? And when others are also in a mess, do we think these help them? Are we helping the situation or trying to make ourselves feel better? And what's the problem if it's both?
We live in a "hi-fine" society, wherein when someone asks how we are, we feel compelled to say "fine". But what if it's not fine? I learned a while ago that I have the tendency to encapsulate my feelings. It works for survival, but is lousy for friendship. Those who have broken through my self-preservation realize that I say I'm fine when I'm not. I start spewing placations and platitudes, enough to start up any self-loathing that I've worked through in therapy.
So I have discovered that life here is not always good. Shocker, huh? And so it goes, some well-meaning person says something like "Don't worry...everything that happens passes through the arms of God"...as if that's supposed to make me feel better when my life falls apart. Or, "Hey, smile...you have Jesus"...when depression is grabbing at me and all I can muster is a prayer that I don't have to deal with this much longer.
Don't worry if you have said those things to me and please don't let it get awkward. I would rather have misplaced good thoughts than no thoughts at all, or malicious ones.
And now you realize why I don't sleep at night like I should. Because I see a funny thing like the aforementioned meme and I dissect it. Yes, I believe God is with me. If you don't, I'm okay with that...you can call it hope, or perseverance, or my little bit of solace. But so anyhow...yes, when we have nothing, there's something bigger out there.
But this picture is not made any more inspirational because we put that saying on it. Bottom line--no matter if God is all we have, cliff-sitting is dumb. Unless you like it and are safe, and then I don't judge you. Well...a little...who does that? I'm the one who watched EVERY SINGLE PERSON go through the Ropes course each time I did it. I did it...but waited to make sure no one died. I like the ground. I just don't want it coming to meet me at a fast speed.
Just as our well-wishes and thoughts are needed and appreciated, they don't make everything better, and for us to think so or act like it is just about as effective as putting nice words on this meme that makes no sense all together.
Yep, I'm overthinking...but if you know me, it's not really a surprise.
Until the next thought barrage hits me, be kind to yourself...sometimes you can be your own rescue. But make sure in the "hi-fine" society, that you don't end up isolating yourself.
