Good Grief
It’s about loss and its replacement.
Once upon a time there was a land of no sadness. It was forbidden because the king believed that his subjects would be happier if they just focused on positive, uplifting, and useful things.
Although it seemed reasonable at first and his loyal subjects, having no choice anyway, agreed it was a grand idea, problems began to quickly surface.
For one thing people attempted to emphasize the happy and deemphasize the sad by banning minor scales and cords from their music. They removed darker colors from the paints available in the town’s art supply store as well. And most importantly, sad and upsetting words and stories were removed from circulation.
The result was not what the king expected. The people actually became sadder and then madder, only now they had to hold it inside themselves and pretend everything was A-OK.
One particular sunny day, for no apparent reason, all the towns people exploded with anger and, again, for no particularly happy reason anyone was later able to identify, they all ran the king out of town on a rail.
And then they lived happily ever after.
Well, not really…
Yes, they overthrew the king, but he was replaced and the next one was just as bad, only in different ways. Fortunately, however, they were able to get all their colors, colorful words, and music back so they could express themselves appropriately as befitting goodly people of any distant imaginary realm.
Two Takeaways
One: As the king or queen of your own life is it not true that you often suppress and swallow your darkest emotions? Don’t drink the poison.
Two: Going along to get along eventually ends poorly.