The first time I blogged, it was because I thought I had something to say about being in a woman’s circle and I wanted to share how important that felt to my life, but after a short while, I ran out of things to say.
The second time I blogged, I wrote about the incarcerated women to whom I taught creative writing. Those stories also had a limit and often felt too weighty to even record. After some of my classes at the jail, I just soaked all the stories away in a hot bath. Even a summer of writing a book proposal about that, became an unraveling without hope of a final form.
From there my blog went into the slice of life stuff that sometimes felt significant and other times felt like fluff. I am not a good judge of my writing. I really can’t tell if something is good or not. I am not a good judge of anyone’s writing–I know what I like and I respect anyone who attempts to write their life on the cliff of white computer screen and then share it in the world.
My last blog up until now ran into a wall of sadness. Sadness is a matter-of-fact thing that I have dealt with on and off my whole life. I have learned to maintain good mental health for long stretches of time through diet, exercise and mindfulness. It works really well, but sometimes sorrow surprises me with its deep, regret. The last bout was not pleasant, but as with times before–I learned something. May Sarton wrote in her book, “Journal of a Solitude,” that she needed to be with her anger long enough for it to teach her something. I feel that way about sadness, you have to be with it long enough for it to teach you something. What I learned this time was this: sadness is unexpressed grief. No, I didn’t get that from a therapist or a self-help book. What I mean is that life assails us with sorrows, both personal challenges and the suffering of the world. In our culture, we do not have a container for that–we don’t have a ritual or a ceremony or a tribe that helps us through the process of feeling our pain and the world’s pain. So we crawl off into our corners and cradle our hearts to the extent that we are able, praying for relief and healing.
Some may say, medication is the answer, but honestly you can give a diagnosis to just about any feeling and what good does that do? I think medication should be a last resort treatment, and I would rather do the ride than just make it all okay with a daily dose. Some may say, that I should just keep a good attitude, but I have at times exhausted myself with good attitude. And some may say, “get over it,” and to them I would say how long have you been numb? What I know is that I’m constantly awakening to life again and again with no destination point in sight.
I have been with my depression long enough for it to teach me something and now I am pouring what I’ve learned about life and being human into writing novels and stories. Creativity is born of chaos and grief in the dark muddy places of heart and mind. Depression/Celebration–it is all just the fullness of a life lived with courage, and now gratitude.
I think you write beautifully.
I’ll second that! I look forward to reading more!
Ha sorry, this came up in my feed and looked like a reply to my About page 🙁
I was just trying to claim someone else’s comment for myself. I would re-iterate that you do write beautifully @So Many Blogs So Little Time x
So inspiring… Thank you for your writing!
Hello! Your blog is really great! Enjoyed reading it 🙂
Regards from inspiretoshine (www.inspiretoshine.wordpress.com)
Thank you for sharing “the journey of your soul.” It takes bravery to stay on the journey…and love to share it. Looking forward to more. Barbarah
Even before one gets captivated by the grace of the stories, the TAG is amazing. Perfect.
Every day for the pat 4 years I wake with a jolt to start my day, it is like someone has startled me and it gives me fright. The night has been filled with the same jolt…sleep has been hard to get once again…now a new day to find a way to accept my fate and get on with it…your words in this piece you have written Stephanie, resonate strongly with me..I keep reading them over and over….. because I am not alone!!!! Have a Grateful Day!!!! Hugs Annie xx
Thank you for the interest in my blog. There is a lot of depth here and I look forward to following and taking a learning journey with you!
As a husband to a wife who struggles with depression, thank you for your words. They help me. They help me feel understood. They help me understand her and they help with the feeling that we are not an island.
We are never as alone as we think we are . . . thank you for the thoughtful comment. Wishing both you and your wife well. . .
Nicely written:)
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read. Good wishes . . .
Thank you for sharing!
I love the idea that we have to stay with our emotions, especially the tough ones until we learn something from them. Please thank Jeter for what you passed on that you learned from him and give him a good rub behind the ears for me.
Bob, I have passed along a vigorous scratch behind Jeter’s ears, along with your thank you. His response was to wag . . . Big hugs.