One day, everyone except for Grumpy was offering one of the veteran therapists suggestions how to get the Sparky in her to overtake Darky, her depressed alter ego. I heard myself blurt out, I think Sparky and Darky need to hook up and make love in the elevator. The room got quiet.
The world can be rough and tough, and pretending that the happy and shiny things in life are the means to transcending our individual inner demons does not help anyone find wellness. The happy and whole and healthy moments of our lives are the rest and rejuvenation from the harder times.
Maybe it's not our politics or our beliefs that define how effective we are... perhaps it's the character with which we show up and navigate the realities of a shared humanity.
Love in action is integrity, honesty, humility, vulnerability, compassion, courage and accountability. Self-love means being willing to see and accept yourself as you are, and allowing and trusting others to see the whole messy truth, not a strategically partial truth.