When High Spirits Take a Nose Dive

Let’s face it–some days, our spirits seem to sag in the middle. Everything under the sun that is sad or unfair or uncertain comes and sits right there on our shoulders, just daring us to get out of bed and put one foot in front of the other and face the day. As the songs goes, They’re writing songs of love, but not for me; a lucky star’s above, but not for me (written by George and Ira Gershwin.) So, what are we to do?

Down in the dumps is not a nice place to be. Believe me, I’ve been there. And, since it isn’t a great way to spend the day, I try not to stay there long. Sometimes my low spirits have a definite reason; sometimes, there’s more than one reason, and sometimes I can’t find any reason–I’m just there. Like a dentist probing for a sore tooth, I sit down and ask myself why I’m feeling this way. I write them down and tear up the list. I hunt for positive, uplifting Scripture, I get out of the house. If a friend or two or three are not busy, I suggest we go out for coffee. Everybody has problems. Listening to someone else’s worries or heartaches helps put mine into perspective and causes me to know I’m not alone.

Books have helped me over many a rough place. So, I pick up a book by a favorite author, or sit down at the computer and try a visit with Darcy, Flora, or Ned. And, the piano…that dear old instrument has seen me through some miserable, low spirits.

black-eyed Susans

Flowers are natural picker-uppers. I like to wander out into my yard and see how those bright little plants are doing. For the first time in my life, I have an egg-plant this year and it has a beautiful, purple, shiny little –what? egg? fruit? What do I call it?

eggplant

And then, there’s the simple little pen and pencil. If starting a full-fledged painting seems far too much for such a saggy-spirited day, I just doodle. Funny, how that is relaxing.

It’s easy to tell someone to cheer up, get your chin up off the floor, have high hopes, but the thing is, this usually doesn’t help at all. The blues are all too real and I think a bit of commiseration is a lot better than ignoring them. But, the truth is, when we’re down in the dumps, we are the only one who can do anything about it. I’ve found that recognizing that fact, allowing myself to feel sorry for myself, and then climbing out of that old pit of the doldrums is much better than just wallowing around and deciding to stay there.

High spirits are great but we can’t continually be walking on air, so when those spirits begin to sag, let’s look around, muster our forces, and see what we can do about it.

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