I don’t know how you see it, but for me sadness is one of those sneaky emotions. You can be going about your day, enjoying a cup of coffee, maybe even an episode of Downtown Abbey and then BAM….it hits. A word, a sight, a smell…all of these can be an on ramp for this emotion called sadness. Often its sneaky nature has me on high alert for anything that may insert itself into my experience and bring this “dreaded’ emotion. But what if there is another way to look at it (because we know there always is)? Just like all of the other emotions we experience, sadness is a part of what it means to be human…what it means to be us. It is an information source, a guide to reveal the tender moments of life. These moments crack us open, and like Leonard Cohen says, “that is how the light gets in”. So, what if instead of avoiding, numbing, dodging, or hiding from sadness or any experience that may tempt it to emerge, we allow the experience to sit beside us and whisper all of its secrets. It would tell us of the depth of love, the intense preciousness of life, the heartbreak of inequality and injustice, and the importance of squeezing every drop out of every moment. Sadness is often the wayshower that points us to authenticity, vulnerability, and an expanded awareness of who we are. The call is to not run away but to stand bravely in its presence. We might just be surprised at all it has to reveal.
- Rev Ryan
Comments