Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. Those are the five stages of, well, everything seriously bad that happens to us– grief, lost relationships, addiction, job dislocation and death– to name a few (as if one can bargain with grief and death).
Nothing in life seems quite so orderly, however. Some people never get past their own feelings of anger and bitterness. Others seem to live in a perpetual state of grace and total acceptance (though in the interest of disclosure, I haven’t yet met anyone that fits that description). Life is an ongoing process, and I feel blessed– even in spite of it all.
Romeo: Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear…
Juliet: O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,
That monthly changes in her circled orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.
Quotation from William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
Blessed are the forgetful: for they get the better even of their blunders.
Quotation from Friedrich Nietzsche
I’ve been locked in denial, anger and depression since Stephen died. Bring on Acceptance…..
Believe me Sera you are… blessed that is, even if only by the accident of where you are born and live, though I suspect by much, much more. Talent will out.
Humans….what did we ever do to deserve that?
You rock, !!!!!
I can’t even imagine living in a state of grace – and obviously don’t have what it takes to do so. I’m quite happy (and blessed!) with my ups-and-downs kind of life – keeps things interesting. Although, a good long run of the “ups” would be nice.
I always figured you need the ‘lows’ to appreciate the ‘highs’. What’s that expression….as yes…”this too shall pass”. Or something like that.
We are prisoners of our own emotions as times.
Is it my truck, or is it my back
is it the road – or all of the above
the bumps are driving me crazy
… and I don’t know if I make it there in time
not very Shakespearian
See, a few days ago I talked to one very sick , disabled young man ! He said – he is happy and blessed because he is living ! I was confused ! To be happy because he is alive ! Sounded silly to me, but later on I was thinking of him, and understood the meaning of his words .
yeah, it’s great to just be thankful for what we are now & what we have.. let’s just live life to the fullest..
life is not perfect….but we have to see the good side of All situations…
I think no ones life is ever perfect or easy, its in accepting life challenges and making the most of them that makes life interesting
Eh, I’m Juliet, I’m Juliet!
… well, Juliette actually.
That life is a process makes it more interesting. As long we don’t get stuck at one stage for too long. A bit like in a video game, really.
I am a realist I guess. I accept that life isn’t fair, and the sooner you realise that, the better. I also understand that the older I grow, the more loss and grief I seem to suffer, and I know that we are dying from the day that we are born…… but…. I try to live every day as though it is my last, and to be fair and kind to everyone, to leave a mark and enjoy the short time I’m here.
I still resent death though, and dislike the ageing process immensely, but I have to live with it and life’s sadness. Great, thought provoking post, as always, Sera.
the more wretched your life is, the more God will bless you with joy, sooner or later, joy comes to these kinds of people… maybe you have black thoughts because your life is too GOOD?
I like the gravestone with the little trinkets, the vampirish lack of a reflection, the sink tubs, and the thoughtless balloon. Serenity, courage, wisdom. I’ll accept that, after all I cannot change it. No is the difference.
The picture goes so well with the comic and the text. I like how the doll to the right just adds that sought after creepy zip!
God doesn’t love misery, tsk tsk… misery comes from free will, the devil, nature, lots of stuff, and i imagine it’s alot like Bruce almighty with God having a non interference clause and still wanting to help people, even once you are a Christian you have to learn to cooperate with God to make good stuff happen… God can’t do ANYTHING, for one God can’t lie, so you gotta find out what He said, so if He said misery cometh or something like that, you can bet He created an ‘out’ with Jesus.. but that doesn’t mean the misery doesn’t cometh, this is a big subject that many greater minds than mine have tackled… when God was talking to me when I first got saved, i asked Him ‘why the carnage???’ i was crying, and God answered and was crying too, and He said ‘things aren’t supposed to be this way, people are supposed to be one with God’… i don’t know if that helps you…
sometimes i think even Jesus was sick, after watching this episode of ‘House’ where a guy was bleeding out of his pores, and House asked him if he was Jewish, or some other middle eastern type… because there’s a disease that comes that way where near the bad bits you sweat blood, and it says that Jesus in the Bible, in the garden before He died, He sweated blood, which is a very strange thing to do no matter how stressed you are… so if even Jesus wasn’t immune to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, then who are we?
My guess is that attitude and perspective are “everything,” Seraphine. Seeing oneself as blessed is so much better than the alternative. Our brains are incredible “machines.” They make miracles happen….
it’s a cycle. it will always be. the key is to hang on to your sanity for the ride.
Great work, beautiful image. U don’t must feel blessed because u are, just watch your creations, the entire blog, many ppl can’t have your gift
Excellent subject, so many interpretations.
Good to always count your blessings. Makes for a happier life!
At least when it comes to unemployment, I’m fully to the stage of ‘acceptance.’ Problem is, no one else in my life seems to be able(willing?)to get there. Concerning my unemployment, I mean. Heh!Heh!…uhhh….!
Comic confusing today. Why blacked out dialog baloon? Why you so small?
It’s all a blessing. Think of the alternative. . . nothingness, I mean, which, technically you can’t really think of, but . . . you get my drift? I think simply being alive is much much more to the point than we typically appreciate.
hahaha, that’s what the side of my driveway looks like, after the apocalypse grass taking over lol
Generally our happiness is based on trying to maintain specific conditions; unconditional happiness is only gained by gradually reducing and eliminating our negative states of mind – or so I’ve heard.
I am in the middle person I think, sometimes my concious is too big and I care too much.
I learn to live in anger, it is wasted time and not good for the heart.
But than going through life as if nothing happened…no way, that is not possible,
hehe are you feeling the entreprenuerial spirit? there’s a guy on my twitter stream that makes his money from a lemonade stand, it’s actually in the shape of a lemon, he stands in a big yellow lemon and sells lemonade, i think it’s a good idea!
So right Sera… the ups and downs, the highs and lows dont matter…if there is something meaningful and fulfilling to keep you busy…and then, nothing lasts, not even the bad…wonderful post and quotes!
i grieve tooooo, sister sera!!! thank you for that
I know. There was a Kubler-Ross joke many years ago that these words resemble a law firm! Imagine the receptionist having to answer the phone with such a firm! …:D) Have a nice weekend, Seraphine!