It was the best of times.. it was the worst of times...

Quote from Charles Dickens:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way."

This quote popped into my head this morning as I was driving to work and thinking about things. I have several people in my life, both friends and family, that have been having a rough go of it lately. Personal issues, signficant others, kids, finances, jobs, stress, pressure .. they feel like they are being pulled every which way. Being kicked when they are down. That no matter what they do.. they can't catch a break.

It's not easy. Remember back to being a kid and all your had to worry about was getting your homework done and getting good grades in school? Seems the older we get, the tougher things are. When do we hit that point where things make sense? Where we get a good solid grip on life and things become easy and less stressful?

If you know me, I am about as laid back and easy going as you can get. Yet I am just a prone to those times where life can seem overwhelming. Where I can't seem to get a foothold and I just keep slipping back into the hole I have managed to get myself into. Its maddening. Stressful. Depressing. It makes me frustrated and angry that I can't seem to do anything about it sometimes. So to those of you dealing with stuff right now, please know you are not alone and that I think most of us understand what you are going through. Maybe its not exactly the same situation, but I can pretty much guarantee that we have all run into something that has put us in the same emotional stress-ridden state.

To my friends and family that are struggling, if you ever want to talk.. about anything ... please don't hesitate to email me. My email is bladestone at gmail dot com. I have unlimited long distance on my phone as well so call me and I will call you right back if that is easier. Email me for my number if you need it. I can listen if nothing else and offer support. I probably don't have any sage-like words of wisdom or solutions to your problem, but sometimes just talking about it and knowing you are not alone going through these kinds of situations can help.

I hate to see the people I care about struggling. I hate to see them feeling stressed out and alone and I can't be there to give them a hug. Can't take them out for a stiff drink and some venting. Its hard to be a shoulder to lean on from far away, but like I said, please don't hesitate to email or call if you want to vent or talk or anything.

The song on my blog today is by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Fits the post well I think. Lyrics are as follows:

My friends are so depressed
I feel the question of your loneliness
Confide...'cause I'll be on your side
You know I will, you know I will

Ex-girlfriend called me up
Alone and desperate on the prison phone
They want to give her seven years
For being sad

I love all of you
Hurt by the cold
So hard and lonely too
When you don't know yourself

My friends are so distressed
And standing on the brink of emptiness
No words I know of to express
This emptiness

I love all of you
Hurt by the cold
So hard and lonely too
When you don't know yourself

Imagine me, taught by tragedy
Release is peace

I heard a little girl
And what she said was something beautiful
To give your love no matter what
Is what she said

I love all of you
Hurt by the cold
So hard and lonely too
When you don't know yourself



As I was reading through the lyrics, one part caught me off guard as I didn't remember him saying it in the song. The part I am talking about is where he says "Imagine me, taught by tragedy, release is peace." I started wondering what he meant by that. What does he mean by release? I guess only the writer of the song will know for sure. Does he mean to let it go? Does he mean finding a release from the stress via another source? A mental distraction like music, movies, books, or games? Therapy? Alchohol? Drugs? Or does he mean something far more dire like suicide? The rest of the tone of the song seems to lend itself to saying that I understand whats going on .. and to just let things go best you can. Release yourself from stressing over every little thing. Give your love no matter what.

We all have our crappy days. Our days where we just don't feel like getting out of bed in the morning to deal with another day full of life's many headaches, strains and stresses. Days when we wish it was easy and all the hard stuff would just dissapear. Fortunately, its not always like that. Rely on your friends and your family .. even people you think you might not normally be able to really talk to. Maybe you don't think they would understand because their not in your shoes, but you will probably be surprised.

To all my friends and family having a rough go of it right now, I am always here for you. No questions asked. No judgements. No expectations. Just let me know if you need a friendly ear. Much <3.

And now for a video that is a bit silly and hopefully makes you smile: