Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Empathy, and other tales...

I can tell when someone's upset.

It doesn't have to be very obvious...once you've experienced enough of misery, you know what it looks like. Last night, there were quite a few upset people around me. I wanted to comfort all of them, that's just the way I am, but the most I could do was make one of them smile and laugh a little. It felt really good to do that...I'm still not sure what they were upset about, or if they knew that I knew they were upset (I never gave a reason for my sudden attention) but having that empathy and trying to cheer them up was awesome.

Also, I think my week long happy-spree might be over. That might be the reason I've not posted that much lately...I was just feeling too good to sit down and write properly. But since last night I feel like I've been shifting back into my usual mode of melancholy. But the difference this time is that I'm prepared. :) Now that I've recognized that these mood swings are not rational as I have previously thought, that they are merely an illusion, I can do something about it. I can ignore it...not let it rule me. I can act happy even though I don't really feel all that happy, and who knows? Maybe there will be a fake-it-'til-you-make-it effect: If I just act like I'm happy, eventually I will be!

In that case, I can't wait to be happy again...

There was a dream that I dreamed, and that dream was that joy would be more contagious...

2 comments:

  1. Hi Jay,
    Stumbled on your blog... I love your empathy and the way you express it. Bless you for following through that to minister to those around you. "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Matt 25:40 - Jesus really does tell us how to do it!) I've often heard the advice that serving others can lift us up in spirit. God does provide opportunities for us to minister to others for our own good! As a person in a serving profession I can attest to that. Praying for you that God will continue to open your spirit to those times. Your sweet spirit and willingness to share that have blessed me tonight. Joy and peace to you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you so much for your kind words! I feel like I hardly deserve them. It's so nice of you to share that with me, it's really made my day! :)

    ReplyDelete