Feeling 'Blue'? A Time for Sadness to Shine

       There is not a single individual I have encountered throughout the past few pandemic months who have escaped moments of sadness. If one did not experience sadness having lost contact, opportunity, or income, they would not be considered 'normal', of course. While certainly not of our choosing nor a time to celebrate (there's that word vicissitudes again), such moments instigate a reflection on the functional role(s) sadness might actually can play in our lives.

       In the 2015 Pixar film "Inside Out", the character of Sadness (blue of course), while characterized as burdensome and obstructionist early on, eventually reveals her redeeming purpose, becoming an unsuspecting hero in a few of the most tender and profound parts of the preadolescent's journey. As the voice of Sadness (Phyllis Smith from "The Office") explains, "Crying helps me slow down and obsess over the weight of life's problems...". Despite her generally unfavorable disposition (which obviously 'distanced' her from the other four emotions much of the time), Sadness reveals her 'superpowers' when she is considerate and compassionate towards a total stranger, accomplishing some feats when Joy failed. 

       So slowing down and listening to our emotions as well as appreciating those of others (i.e., empathy, compassion, and even gratitude) can become the redemptive qualities of sadness during these unwelcome times. For others sadness, if not directed or 'mitigated', can become despair and depression, a topic of an upcoming post (suggested reading: "Man's Search for Reading" and/or "Yes to Life, Despite Everything", both by Victor Frankl).