My column space is 800 words more or less so usually I write about only one subject, sometimes about being happy, other times about being sad. This does not mean, however, that I change my moods weekly. If that’s what you think, you have me all wrong. My life is no different from yours. It is simply imperfect.
Step back, look at your life. There are areas that bring you joy and others that bring you sorrow. Yours is a typical life. So is mine. I am blissfully happy living alone, eating alone, but I am sorrowful over my mother’s Alzheimer’s disease. This however does not depress me so totally that it cancels my being happy living alone. That still holds true. Please don’t immediately assume that I am depressed. I am not, but I do have sorrows and I bear them well. I even write about them not just to bare my soul to you but to help the thousands of others with the same sorrows and to inform them about how my mother and I handle her disease. I want to be of some help.
I have however one request. When you send me text, please send me original messages. Say “I liked what you wrote” or “Do not think about euthanasia.” But please don’t send me these things every day: God’s Word Eph 4:26 — In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. Prayer: Lord I am sorry for the times I allowed anger to prevail in my life. I am sorry for oftentimes not letting go of my resentment towards the way others treat me. In Jesus’ merciful name. Amen.
I am primarily a communicator who lives alone. You think I don’t talk to God? I talk to Him all the time. We are great pals. Sometimes when you send me these things I giggle over how silly you are, how unimaginative. He tells me to be patient with you so I just trash them thinking you probably have no friends or a lot of money to spare so you send me these. Why don’t you tell me what you think, what you feel? Then maybe I can at least send you my thanks.
You think you know my entire life’s story? No, you don’t. I only write about the things you might learn something from. This is important to me, to communicate a lesson but always in the first person so it doesn’t threaten. You see, if I were to write using the second person pronoun you, I might sound threatening. If I were to write using the third person he/she, I might sound too disconnected, too serious or a gossip. So I write in the first person. It gives an air of intimacy and makes you comfortable reading me.
How do I handle my sorrows? I think about them on and off. Maybe a solution will surface. I paint them sometimes finding this very consoling to me. It helps me to deal creatively with a problem I cannot solve. That makes me carry it better. I write about them sometimes knowing that writing helps hundreds of people out there. We somehow connect and we no longer feel so alone. I am not afraid to write openly about what I feel. Sometimes I just wish that I would not get scolded or be barraged with biblical quotes and other quotes. Send me only original messages.
I think this is one of the reasons why I take Jung seminars. They help me find keys to my problems in a refreshing, humorous, light-hearted way. There’s another Jung seminar on August 9 and 10. “The workshop is called Symbols of the Self and Dreams. It hopes to shed light and enhance understanding of one’s personal symbols. Through a Jungian process of association, the meanings of the symbols in one’s dreams are discussed. Participants will get a chance to interpret their dreams.” That’s what the text I received says. Okay, I will be there to discover my new symbols, since my stroke. That should take my mind off my usual problems. If you haven’t taken Basic Jung yet, I understand you are welcome to this one as well. But please don’t call me because I cannot help you. Call Sophie at 0917-5276279 or Rose at 0916-3023763.
I will read original communication. Spare me the quotes. To the one who scolded me for thinking about euthanasia , I’m sorry, but I know of it, therefore I consider it. I don’t think I have the courage to do it.
This all leads me to something I see wrong with our culture. We are so afraid to think about what happens in our lives, what bothers us, and to discuss it with other people.