When, in disgrace with Fortune and men's eyes
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these throughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.
~William Shakespeare
This poem is a pity-party, a man's depression put into words. Truthfully this is a universal depression. Every single person on this earth, at one time or other, has felt the universe was purposely working against her or him. Everyone has felt that they are alone with no one on their side, no one to confide in or relate to. Maybe they feel their luck is always bad, they're broke and the world looks down its nose at them. The universe is not listening to them, and threre is no one to cry to. They have it worse than anyone else, but if they could just have what that person has, then maybe things would be different. Maybe life would not suck, maybe they would not be alone, just maybe...Maybe they would not be on the outside, cold and lonely, looking in at the person who has it all, fortune and friends. Happiness. They are so sad, so depressed that nothing sounds appealing to them. The things they once loved do not seem to matter, the activites they once enjoyed hold absolutely no appeal. Then, suddenly, like a lark, they come out of the darkness and into the light. Suddenly things are not as bad as they had first appeared. How is this even possible? A shift in perspective, that is how. They think back to something or someone they remember that made them feel alive, made them happy. Remembering this person who obviously had a great impact on their life, remembering the way that person opened them up, made them feel, and suddenly life is not all that terrible. And, because of this sweet love remembered, they decide they would not trade this life of theirs for anything. Life may appear a tragedy, but the most tragic of all would be losing the memory of that one special person who made it all worth it, who made life, if only for a blink in time, worth living. And for that we all trudge forth through the mud with hope in our eyes nd love in our hearts.
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