RE: Reflections on Melancholia, Sadness, Suicide, Scandinavians and the Death of a Goldfish
I have lost a few friends to suicide. In particular I think of two of them the most, a childhood friend and a lover with bad timing. The thoughts come without any warning, an uncontrollable wave of sadness and a release that I am never prepared for. Is that selfish of me? I do not know. I miss what could have been. But I do understand and respect their decisions to leave this world. On the surface I am not a melancholy man, although I do carry a deep sadness within me. I think it comes from introspection. In Canada, in particular to where I live, the winter is long and cold. We wrap ourselves up in layers of clothing when we go out of doors, is this a barrier from the other? I do not know. Your posts always make me think. So much so that I am often unable to comment. You are a deep thinker who strikes at my roots, shaking my branches into a quiver. How many fish get a burial beneath a tree? Often, I think, the smallest of acts of acknowledgement, respect for our fellow creatures, offer the largest impact to the well being of our whole. Thank you @denmarkguy
It's interesting how often I see Canada and Scandinavia compared, from a philosophical standpoint... long winters and lots of introspection on the menus of life.
In some ways, there is a certain beauty in the bleakness and sadness... but they trouble some people more than others. Maybe it's the difference between feeling sad and simple recognizing "I feel sad" and feeling sad and going "OMG! Something is WRONG with me!" because that person lacks the coping skills to feel a full spectrum of — essentially natural — emotions.