“Just as artificial illumination has freed us from the light-dark cycle, it has also opened the door to night shift work, which upsets the body's circadian rhythm. Electricity powers evening routines that conspire against rest.”
Source: The Depths: The Evolutionary Origins of the Depression Epidemic
“Our species is diurnal, and the best chance of finding sustenance and other rewards was in the light phase (think about the challenge of identifying edible berries or stalking a mammoth). Consequently, we are configured to be more alert during the day than at night. Consistent with the link between light and mood, some clinically serious low mood is triggered by the seasonal change of shorter daylight hours. The onset of seasonal affective disorder, a subtype of mood disorder, is usually in winter.”
Source: The Depths: The Evolutionary Origins of the Depression Epidemic
“Fantasizing about a world without low mood is a vain exercise. Low moods have existed in some form across human cultures for many thousands of years. One way to appreciate why these states have enduring value is to ponder what would happen if we had no capacity for them. Just as animals with no capacity for anxiety were gobbled up by predators long ago, without the capacity for sadness, we and other animals would probably commit rash acts and repeat costly mistakes. Physical pain teaches a child to avoid hot burners; psychic pain teaches us to navigate life's rocky shoals with due caution.”
Source: The Depths: The Evolutionary Origins of the Depression Epidemic
“Our bodies are a collection of adaptations, evolutionary legacies that have helped us survive and reproduce in the face of uncertainty and risk. That does not mean that adaptations are perfect; far from it.”
Source: The Depths: The Evolutionary Origins of the Depression Epidemic
“Autumn seemed much deeper than spring, as sadness is deeper than brief joy, or memory than hope”
Source: The Lady and the Monk: Four Seasons in Kyoto
“I serve him
because he appreciates being served.
He serves me
because he’s humble enough to,
and I’m his peace.
I don’t need to tell him he’s a King
because I treat him as such.
I respect him enough
to let go of all that I once knew.
He respects me enough
to do the same,
to let the world know
I’m his peaceful Queen.
Fortunately, our lives are full of choices,
and God chose us
to be together.”
“there is space inside the human heart for infinite love and infinite sadness and all the messiness in between.”
Source: Worst-Case Collin
“Je me sentais tellement vivante à ce moment-là, je crois. Maintenant, je ne me rappelle plus ce que ça fait d'être triste.”
Source: C'est comme ça que je disparais
“I felt a little bit like crying and instead ate more cheese.”
Source: Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation
“Of course, there were unhappy people everywhere on earth, and if you catalogued all their griefs and disappointments, every place could be considered a museum of failures. One could argue that this was the universal human condition.”
Source: The Museum of Failures