 |
| *Photo Credit |
Thought for the Day: I didn't want to write about
Joan Rivers. So many newscasters and specials have followed her sudden death last week. Being a clinical psychologist and writer has it's own unique professional hazards. To be a therapist, one must not only be aware of one's own feelings but also have the ability to empathize with others emotions. It helps therapists to relate to their clients' woes. When I go to movies, a funny scene can have me laughing out loud. In sad movies, I cry prolifically. Last week, when Joan Rivers lost consciousness during what was supposed to be a routine medical procedure, I found myself, like many people around the world, checking online, hoping that she would recover. Even as the news seemed to be less and less hopeful, what psychologists call denial kept me thinking that somehow, the comedienne who joked about death and everything else would somehow live on. All the research on laughter says that it can add at least 10 years to your life expectancy. I imagined Joan Rivers laughing on like George Burns to at least 100 years of age. However, I was wrong. As the tributes and the requests to keep laughing kept streaming on TV and the internet, my unconscious mind sent me a message no psychologist can ignore.
The unconscious works in mysterious ways. I was saddened by the news of Joan River's death and laughed when her jokes were replayed on TV. I was not a huge fan of her humor, but appreciated her talent. I did not know much about her life and learned new things from all the coverage. I went on in my life feeling fine until Friday, when I found myself in a funk.
Here's what I noticed and am sharing in hopes that it will help others...
