Sadness as a superpower? Yes indeed.
Often, we close down to sadness and grief because it’s just so damn uncomfortable. Our culture also encourages this – how many times have you heard the phrase “don’t be sad!”?
First of all, telling someone what they should or should not be feeling is just weird.
Second, there is a power in feeling sadness, and when we try to shut it down, not only are we cutting ourselves off from this power, but we’re setting ourselves up for dis-ease as we try to go through our day NOT feeling something that we know is actually there.
Sadness is Life plowing up the ground of our being. It’s not comfortable as the blade of the plough digs down and turns over the soil – but it’s the only way to prepare ourselves for new things.
Sadness, then, becomes an invitation from the universe to open up to life. Feel it. If it’s too painful, find a good friend or community to feel it with you. But stay with it; it will move through eventually, and you will be prepared to recognize and greet the new things that come your way.
