Trashman: I know the feeling. Maybe you have more to give than you think you do? Most of us are not perfect angels. I’ve done a lot of stupid, reckless, and self-serving things in my life, mostly due to fear and trying to protect myself. Paradoxically, I have also put myself in dangerous situations. Go figure. Upon examination of my typical fear-driven behaviors, I noticed they pretty much directly brought about the result they were meant to prevent. Through a combination of medication, spiritual studies, and group therapy, I’ve come to believe I do belong in the world after all, and the universe wants me to be my true self. As they say, “May you be who you are, and may you be blessed in all that you are.”
Hey Sugargremlin: That’s cool. I guess I disagree about depression or bad experiences having any intrinsic meaning or value. If those feelings help you feel empathy or compassion for others, that would be a good use for them, but I would say that’s a chosen, post-situation usefulness, not an inherent one. If a person has to have a bad experience, may as well find a good application for what one learns from it – that seems like a life-affirming approach. An argument could also be made that had we not had those experiences, we would not be who we are now, and if who we are now is OK, all’s well that ends well. For me, being depressed was a hindrance, a bummer, and a big waste of time. 😉
Lucky77: Yeah, that’s weird, huh? I try to take those feelings as a signal that I need a change of venue – to get outside, move around, look at some trees, read a book, watch a movie – anything that helps me “re-set” 