“Remember when old December's darkness is everywhere about you, that the world is really in every minutest point as full of life as in the most joyous morning you ever lived through; that the sun is whanging down, and the waves dancing, and the gulls skimming down at the mouth of the Amazon, for instance, as freshly as in the first morning of creation; and the hour is just as fit as any hour that ever was for a new gospel of cheer to be preached. I am sure that one can, by merely thinking of these matters of fact, limit the power of one's evil moods over one's way of looking at the Kosmos.”—William James (1842-1910), in a letter to friend Thomas Ward, 1868
James wrote this a couple of years before confiding to his diary that he'd "just about touched bottom" but had discovered a way of thinking about free will that might rescue his spirits. And it did. Recalling the gulls didn't hurt either.
This is such an important way of thinking. I would love to apply this concept to today's time. We are in a time of a mental health crisis, and lots of people (especially younger people) find themselves feeling hopeless or stuck in a mood that they cannot get out of. Sometimes we just have to try and get out of our heads and focus on the other great things in our lives. Sometimes it wouldn't be such a bad idea to take a breather and appreciate life. (Looking at the birds, skies, trees, or even thinking about how we had the privilege of waking up and living to see another beautiful and promising day.)
ReplyDeleteH1
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting that he chose to speak about 'december's darkness'. A lot of people get into a funk around the winter months, and it is comforting in a way that this has always happened. It can be really hard to find the good things when in such a state, but it does help. Feeling the wind or looking up at the sky can improve so much.