When I'm Down - Write On Challenge

There have been times in my life when I was down - and numb - like when my mother died, and then just a few years later when my dad died.  I was down, but, thank God I was in that sort of state of anesthesis that the mind floats in when something happens that really can't be coped with any other way.

There have been the little down times, like when the checkbook doesn't balance or the car gets a flat tire and these seem to be the times when a big old piece of chocolate cake really helps.  I have had times when I've felt sad, when I needed to just have a good cry and sometimes I'll put a sad movie on when I'm alone and just cry to get it out of my system.

But then there are times when a sadness sort of lingers for a while, with really nothing to pinpoint the reason for it.  I picture this as riding out a wave.  I know it will pass, I just have to hang in there while it does.  At these times one of the things I've found that helps is writing the feelings down - these are not writings that I share - but are instead a personal unveiling of my soul.  Sometimes these pour out in poetry, sometimes there are incomplete sentences, and a general meandering of thoughts.  There are times when I am surprised to find anger, frustration, loneliness or even a hint of despair filling up page after page.

The writing sort of cleans me out, and usually leaves me empty enough to feel as though I can once again being filling myself up with life.