My cats. Hooks and Jewel. They are my only real anchor anymore.
The ocean. When I am at the ocean, nothing else matters. The best time and place to die, for me, would be there, as thundering waves crash into the rocks. It puts everything into perspective for me, erases all fear and depression, and brings a stillness and peace to me that is indescribable.
Ditto to the ocean, unfortunately i’m closest to the north sea.
Not quite the paradise one would hope for. It’s more of a dark brown, seaweed infested, grey sombre experience.
But it’s still nice to go to the coast from time to time.
I’m not sure what you mean by lasting. Lasting for how long?
When I’m camping I feel anywhere from o.k. to joyful, as long as it’s just me and nature. If there are other people around, things get complicated fast.
Lasting as in, once the activity is over, you still feel joy. Most things are fleeting- like eating something tasty, or a fun activity, or a great movie- once the activity is over and you’re sad again, it’s fleeting, so not true joy or happiness.
Loving a pet is lasting, because it is not a singular activity. Even if you’re away from your pet, you still have good thoughts about it. Or loving a kid or something. It’s something that you can look back on a year from now, 10 years from now, and it still gives you a good happy lasting feeling.
I suppose in a sense creating artwork can still be lasting joy- because you can look at it afterwards and feel a sense of accomplishment. That you made something, that you have the ability to create more artwork. It’s a sense of knowing you have some kind of talent and can create something. That is lasting, even if each individual piece is done.
IDK, I guess everyone’s got their own definition of what “lasting” means. I’m just talking about things that mean something, that isn’t over the moment the event or activity is over. Because everyone tells me to “do something I like.” Well, I don’t really care for anything. Even if I go watch a good movie or eat a great meal or see or do something cool, even if I’m having a great time, once the activity is over, I’m depressed again. So there’s nothing “lasting” for me.
I am glad I asked you that, because, at least in my head, your answer clarifies things. I will explain.
When I am depressed, there is no such thing as a thought or memory that will summon a feeling of joy or happiness. Anything that once made me joyful seems like a cruel lie or a cosmic joke. I have to intellectually remember that I formerly “felt” happy. And tell myself that if I wait long enough, I’ll be able to feel it again. In other words, I seem to have some ability to rationally think through some of my depression, but I can’t feel my way through.
When I’m down, my pets are a demanding burden, people I love don’t really love me, and all the experiences I ever had that made me feel good were temporary.
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My cats. Hooks and Jewel. They are my only real anchor anymore.
The ocean. When I am at the ocean, nothing else matters. The best time and place to die, for me, would be there, as thundering waves crash into the rocks. It puts everything into perspective for me, erases all fear and depression, and brings a stillness and peace to me that is indescribable.
Ditto to the ocean, unfortunately i’m closest to the north sea.
Not quite the paradise one would hope for. It’s more of a dark brown, seaweed infested, grey sombre experience.
But it’s still nice to go to the coast from time to time.
the process of creating art used to do that for me. not anymore though.
Used to be my dog, hands down. I miss her very much.
I guess second would be like Fally said, creating something
I’m not sure what you mean by lasting. Lasting for how long?
When I’m camping I feel anywhere from o.k. to joyful, as long as it’s just me and nature. If there are other people around, things get complicated fast.
Lasting as in, once the activity is over, you still feel joy. Most things are fleeting- like eating something tasty, or a fun activity, or a great movie- once the activity is over and you’re sad again, it’s fleeting, so not true joy or happiness.
Loving a pet is lasting, because it is not a singular activity. Even if you’re away from your pet, you still have good thoughts about it. Or loving a kid or something. It’s something that you can look back on a year from now, 10 years from now, and it still gives you a good happy lasting feeling.
I suppose in a sense creating artwork can still be lasting joy- because you can look at it afterwards and feel a sense of accomplishment. That you made something, that you have the ability to create more artwork. It’s a sense of knowing you have some kind of talent and can create something. That is lasting, even if each individual piece is done.
IDK, I guess everyone’s got their own definition of what “lasting” means. I’m just talking about things that mean something, that isn’t over the moment the event or activity is over. Because everyone tells me to “do something I like.” Well, I don’t really care for anything. Even if I go watch a good movie or eat a great meal or see or do something cool, even if I’m having a great time, once the activity is over, I’m depressed again. So there’s nothing “lasting” for me.
you may find that feeling in helping others.
I am glad I asked you that, because, at least in my head, your answer clarifies things. I will explain.
When I am depressed, there is no such thing as a thought or memory that will summon a feeling of joy or happiness. Anything that once made me joyful seems like a cruel lie or a cosmic joke. I have to intellectually remember that I formerly “felt” happy. And tell myself that if I wait long enough, I’ll be able to feel it again. In other words, I seem to have some ability to rationally think through some of my depression, but I can’t feel my way through.
When I’m down, my pets are a demanding burden, people I love don’t really love me, and all the experiences I ever had that made me feel good were temporary.