There's a joke about the seasons here in Chicago: "What do you call two good days in a row in Chicago?" "Spring." I've been thinking about that joke all weekend, because I've had two, and now three good days in a row, which feels like some kind of new local record. Blues dissipated Saturday, late in the morning, and haven't come back since. Well, maybe a touch right now, but I can feel it as hunger, rather than a mood thing--mind's not plunged into a "negative thought bog," as I've heard it called, and that's a great improvement.
What accounts for the change? I'm not sure, really, but part of it may be that Saturday morning I went to a truly lovely and fun bat mitzvah celebration: one that gathered some friends from earlier parts of my life, and one that did a wonderful job of assuaging a lot of the unhappy feelings I've had about my synagogue and my relationship with all things Jewish, which used to be a big part of my personal and professional life. If I were a religious man I'd credit divine intervention; in practical, secular terms I think what happened is that the round of unhappy thoughts about Jewish stuff that is a part of my brooding, blue mood got very effectively interrupted, displaced by older and far happier ideas and associations. After which I came home and cleaned house, smiling at the symbolism.
The other change that may be helping, although I'm not sure what the causal loop would be, is that I've gone off Facebook and Twitter, at least for the summer. Said my farewells last Friday, and then deactivated the accounts; perhaps that had something to do with the good feeling I had on Saturday and since? Who knows.
In either case, though, yay! :) It's nice to feel happy again.
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After that post, I was away from the computer all day--called away unexpected in order to go buy a new car. My 1997 Toyota Corolla had long since given up the ghost, and was a rusty, battered remnant of its former self. It's now been replaced by a new Honda Fit, also red, which I'll get to drive to work tomorrow in all its glory.
3 comments:
I was wondering how you were getting on; I'm glad about the good news. Hope you have lots more happy days!
After your last post, I was pondering the possibility of coming up with a flower scale of happiness:
rose - thou art sick
weed - needs more sleep and/or food
daisy - feeling bright!
daffodil - dancing (possibly in the company of a whole host of friends)
What a lovely comment, Laura! It catches me on a day when I feel weedy with a touch of rose, so the timing couldn't be better. Off to have some lunch and (with luck) adjust my bouquet.
I'm beginning to suspect you may be related to this guy.
I'm sure some food will be of great benefit. I suppose it would be ideal if you could follow it up with "great nature's second course" but that may not be possible.
Does it also help put an end to your winter of discontent if you can get a bit of glorious sun? I suspect that could be what you need to get you happily photosynthesising again (which is what flower-derived literary critics do when they expose a thesis and antithesis to the bright light of their intellect).
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