That dark descent into dread isn’t your fault

Oh, I’ve had them, I can certainly tell you that I’ve had them—those dangerous descents down the slippery slope of despair, not knowing how or why or why so quickly.

Sometimes it’s a soul sense of sadness that has no rhyme or reason, that reveals no source, and gives no clues as to how or why it came. At other times, there was stimulus, either too much stimulus or the production of the negative, and discouragement came mounted on the wings of the biblical leviathan or behemoth. And then there are the times when something of unknown origin becomes the trigger. None of these are flights of fancy beyond the pale. They are all curiously common.

That dark descent into dread isn’t your fault. You need to know that, don’t you? You need to know that in the midst of being pulled down with the suction force of water going down a drain that you would prevent it if you could.

Ultimately, we can do something about the long-term pattern reaction to the seasonal trend of these dark descents. But this article isn’t about that.

This article is about resolving the kind of matter that is beyond your control, so you may have peace and a lessening of shame and guilt, for shame and guilt and a lack of peace never had anything to do with healing.

God loves you no matter what—whether
you’re susceptible to the dirge or not.

We are enough. No matter who we are or whatever we’re susceptible to. You would not believe the weaknesses, addictions, secrets, fears and phobias, and other vulnerabilities your neighbour is harbouring. You are not alone. We are measured with the commonalities of humanity far more than we are with the frail aloneness of our, at times, fragile minds and failing hearts.

Travelling the deep dark descent, without word or gong of warning, is frightening to us and for those bystanders who love us. None of us enjoy that pitch-dark descent. But we can be encouraged to know that we can be there for one another; that our strength is in our unity, if only we can be weak together. And where there is such weakness, there is much maturity, for humility mounts up on the wings of reality, and one who can be weak without feeling berated is someone adept at accepting what they cannot control. And out of such acceptance comes the want and wherewithal to act upon the climb. We descend so as to ascend.

It’s not your fault when you sink in a moment. Feeling inadequate or worthless or useless are commensurate reactions. All so predictable. If only we had the awareness, the insight into our condition, enough to call ourselves to gentleness with ourselves; to experience the kindness we could truly do with; the gentleness and kindness we would issue to anyone else in empathy for their descending into darkness. It’s time for us to partake of our own empathy.

Some things we need to tuck away for a necessary moment; for when that moment comes and for when we need the reminder. Some things are useful to be kept, tucked up safe in a known place where retrieval would be efficient and easy.

When we’re giving life our very best and for some reason we just don’t seem to measure up, what life throws at us is a lie. We know deep within that we are enough. Be gentle, refute the lie, don’t fight the descent, go with it, and when you come to rest at the bottom, make your climb from there.

Photo by Riccardo Mion on Unsplash