“People in our culture think being unhappy is unnatural, and take pills or go to therapy to ‘fix’ themselves. But sadness is as much a part of life as joy. Maybe that sounds trite to the hardened, self-protective modern ego, but if you open yourself up, you do make yourself vulnerable to pain but the deeper the pain you experience, the deeper joy you have.” ~ Mark Ryden
Excellent quote; as one that on a “normal” day tends to be melancholy, I can’t say “AMEN!” enough. Being pensive should not be looked down upon. Spending time contemplating real issues and problems should not be regarded as unhealthy. Since when is a brainless, fluffy existence desired??? I seriously get grief regularly for not being a “happy shinny person.” I’ve even been confronted and told that I’m not being a good Christian witness. I don’t recall that Jesus and his disciples ran around with fake perpetual smiles on their faces. I understand that our culture demands that be behave in a manner that makes others comfortable. Truth be told, Jesus was really bad at following this sort of behavioral norm. I’m not really going to apologize for something I don’t sincerely regret. Life is both pain and joy. We can’t appreciate one without the other.