The Land of No Sadness
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 materialize.
For one thing people attempted to emphasize the happy and deemphasize the sad by banning minor scales and cords from 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 quietly banished.
The result was not what the king expected.
The people 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.
My Two Takeaways
Suppressing emotions — even the difficult ones — is a bad idea. It is like drinking poison. Get the help you need by talking to trusted and mature friends.
Going along to get along eventually ends poorly. Learn to swim against popular tides.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.