For those of us depressed at Christmas

Sometimes Christmas is like a black hole to me and I know there must be others staying up late, or getting up early staring into that hole and feeling all alone in the world. So this is not meant to bring anyone down, but just a suggestion of something that has been a tonic for me this year.

Today I got up at 4:00 AM and put a copy of "It's a Wonderful Life" on the DVD and cried my eyes out through the whole thing. It's a catharsis (for the crying) and a wonderfull message of hope and connectedness. It's good to remember how many people in the world we touch with our lives whether we know it or not, and the good that still exists.

I feel much better now.
Merry Christmas to all, and don't jump! (It isn't worth it).

*big hugs* Have a wonderful day Dianne. I'm having myself a lovely non-Chrstmas this year. I have coffee. I have video games. I have a comfy blanket to curl up in and take a nap in front of the fireplace later. And most other people are busy with their festivities and unlikely to bug me. There's no better day to be a completely unproductive sloth without feeling guilty about it. Life is good!

Thanks Chip!
Sounds wonderful.

That sounds good Chip, have a fine day.

*hugs* Dianne, you have a good day aswell.

Hugs and hugs and hugs!!

Chip and Dianne--it sounds to me as if you are both creating your own beauty, peace, and joy this holiday season!! I think you both are doing exactly what should be done at this time of year--embracing and enjoying life's beautiful simplicity. Best, best holiday wishes to you both!!

Sending xmas love and hugs to you

That's so sad.

You need a friend.

You touch my life. You're my bestest friend in SL and I'm always glad to see you

BIG HUGS

Dianne, omg you are my long lost soul mate. This has been my first, ever, Christmas alone (for reasons too messy to get into, here). Anyway, I remember the first time I ever watched IWL. I was shocked at the deep wellspring of emotion that came forth, seemingly from nowhere. And everyman George Bailey is my personal hero, or maybe better said, my alter ego with eerie parallels. At many pivotal moments in my life, IWL has salved my weary soul. I've probably watched it a couple of dozen times, since, and yet it is as fresh and timeless as ever.

This year, I added another movie to my cathartic vault: "The Phantom of the Opera." I swear, I will marry Gerard Butler if it's the last thing I do.

Merry Christmas!

I only wish more of the lost souls had come over the party on Cosy Home. We had a great time Doing the same on New Years' Eve (several times) so don't sit alone - come and join us.

i hope you don't feel -too- alone today... your message reached me, and others, so... please feel a friendly, ghost-like presence of friends, eh?

i've been sooooo busy lately, i'm just happy to have a few days off, lol - enjoying music; watching dvs friends have given me that i hadn't had time to watch... hope you all are having the same... and hope better luck is spreading to all at the end of this rather strange year (to put it mildly...

(p.s. - and i have soooo much wanted to rewatch 'wonderful life', and a stack of other xmas vid-goodies; i did see rudolph and charlie brown - the essentials for me, lol... but hopefully before the season is through, i'll see some capra-esque encouragement.)

*HUG*

I've been depressed too. But now I"m getting some badly needed attention

...aww dianne, you're one of my very favorite people and i both grimace and smile to read of your catharsis - having been there i know it's a precious sort of lament by which we know we're alive...
...fast burning out late on less than three hours' sleep in the past two days, i offer my fondest regards to all my dear friends alone in the world this weekend...

"Blessed are all simple emotions, be they dark or bright! It is the lurid intermixture of the two that produces the illuminating blaze of the infernal regions."


...m...

...and anyone making it into a video shop this week, take a moment to ask the clerk to look up 'tokyo godfathers' - i stumbled upon the film alone last year and it fast became my personal favorite...


...m...

Been very depressed too but I wish all of you happy holidays *hug*

*smiles* I have been a huge fan of "It's a Wonderful Life" for some 20 years now and watch it nearly every year. I cried some buckets full in the course of these years. And it always felt good afterwards. A true catharsis.

The sad thing I realized lately, after watching it again, is that for some of us there is a level below these happy tears. It is the level where you realize, that after all George really is a hero in the true meaning of the word. It just takes the length of the movie for him to realize it. He is an important part of a large community of people. And he is useful. He makes a difference. Like you.

It was like that with me too. But for me and for some others maybe, this feeling does not allways last. When the tears are dried and you take a look back to your normal life and realize that you not only look like a pathetic looser but you are one and there is no hidden hero inside, then you have seen this level below. This realisation does not provoke tears; at least not in me. It is just a kind of numb feeling. I bet the movie was not meant in this way, of course.

The funny thing with loneliness is, that you don't have to be alone to be lonely. Sometimes it is much more effective, when there are many people around.

But probably I am not doing this wonderful movie justice. Of course it was meant in the uplifting way, that most people experience it.

Dianne, from all what I can see here in the forums you are connected to many people in SL and I bet in RL too. You are important. Your are connected! You are "useful" for many people. You really make a difference. The world would be a sadder place without you. And I am glad that this old masterpiece had the intended effect on you!

Have a wonderful Christmas time!

Wow. thank you thank you for all the wonderfull messages. I just spewed a bit and did not really expect a response, but it's nice to know there are folks out there that feel the same sometimes.

I think it's good to cry once in a while and the tears from the movie were mostly good ones, it really is uplifting even though it makes you cry. I tend to feel bad at this time of year and I know I shouldn't wallow in it but I felt so much better after watching it, corny or not. I meant my post more as uplifting advice to others than I did as "woe is me" cry for attention.

I know what you mean by the "second level" after the movie is over as well, but one must simply soldier through as there is nothing else for it but continuing and trying. The best advice I can give in that respect is something my GF told me recently which is that "feeling follows action." As hard as it is, it's best to try to do positive happy things (and perhaps go to Garnets dance), than it is to wallow in the sadness and watch a sad movie or just sit at home. Feel better by acting ike you feel better.

Thank God Christmas is over!

And just think, we'll have at least two months before the decorations start going up for next year

Christmas is over, it's time to stop being depressed and go back to dancing around estatically.

Christmas can of course also be depressing when you cant meet close friends... and soon its New Year.. maybe same feelings say hello knock knock...

I like Christmas. It's quiet, everybody leaves me alone for about the only time during the year, and the lights have beautiful effects at night in the snow. I walk, I think, I smile to myself.

Because Dianne is leaving Neualtenburg --and because she's a fan of It's a Wonderful Life --I now present to you --

"Es ist eine wundervolle Lebensdauer"

WIPE TO:

EXTERIOR CEMETERY ?? NIGHT

MEDIUM SHOT ?? Dianne and Kendra approach the tree from which
the "Neualtenburg" sign once hung. Now it is just outside a
cemetery, with graves where the houses used to be.

DIANNE
Are you sure this is Neualtenburg?

KENDRA
Oh, I'm not sure of anything anymore. All I know is this should
be Neaultenburg. But where are the houses?

The two walk into the cemetery.

DIANNE (as they go)
You weren't here to build them.

CLOSE MOVING SHOT ?? Kendra wandering like a lost soul among the
tombstones, Dianne trotting at her heels. Again Kendra stops to
stare with frightened eyes at:

CLOSE SHOT ?? a tombstone. Upon it is engraved a name, Eugene Pomeroy. Feverishly Kendra scrapes away the snow covering the rest of the inscription,
and we read:

IN MEMORY OF OUR LOVING SON EUGENE POMEROY
CLOSE SHOT ?? Dianne and Kendra.

DIANNE
Your friend and fellow SDF member, Eugene Pomeroy, broke through the ice and was drowned at the age of nine. You weren't there to make the Eisbahn safe.

Kendra jumps up. (she accidently hit page up)

KENDRA
That's a lie! Eugene Pomeroy went to war! He got the Congressional
Medal of Honor! He saved the lives of every man on that
transport.

DIANNE (sadly)
Every man on that transport died. Eugene wasn't there to save them
because you weren't there to save Eugene. You see, Kendra, you
really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a mistake it would be to
throw it away?

CLOSEUP ?? Dianne and Kendra

KENDRA
Dianne . . .

DIANNE
Yes, Kendra?

KENDRA
Where's Ulrika?

DIANNE
Oh, well, I can't . . .

KENDRA
I don't know how you know these things, but tell me ?? where is
she?

Kendra grabs Dianne by the bling bling prim jewelry and shakes her.

DIANNE
I . . .

KENDRA
If you know where she is, tell me where my Ulrika is.

DIANNE
I'm not supposed to tell.

KENDRA (becoming violent)
Please, Dianne, tell me where she is.

DIANNE
You're not going to like it, Kendra.

KENDRA (shouting)
Where is she?

DIANNE
She's an SUV driving republican bible thumper.

KENDRA (choking her)
Where's Ulrika? Where is she?

CLARENCE
She's . . .

KENDRA
Where is she?

DIANNE (in self-defense)
She's running a Tringo Game in Dreamland!

Kendra lets Dianne go, and runs off. Dianne falls to the
ground, where she rubs her neck.

DIANNE (to herself)
There must be some easier way for me to get my wings.

Personally I slept through christmas. I'm an expert sleeper. I can do it at any time, in any position, for any length of time. I find it extremely useful for avoiding things that are tedious, borring, depressing, or otherwise disagreable.

Applause.

This is how I feel when watching movies like this. George has a loving family, a beautiful wife, adorable kids, and is surrounded by good natured people who care about him -- he just needed someone to remind him of this.

If the same story were about my life, there would be nothing for Clarence to show me in the "alternate world". It would be mostly the same (aside from minor chaotic "butterfly" effects).

Too many holiday shows (and movies in general) try to impress upon us how significant we are and how great everything is. The hard truth is we are just infinitesimally small insignificant self-replicating biological specks of matter in a cold, vast, empty universe, long forsaken by any potential Creator that may or may not have even been there.

Most people have faith and/or hope, and cling to these beliefs to get them through their days. And even most of those who don't, at least have a network of people to keep them busy and distracted from this hard truth. Those that have neither faith or a network of close friends usually just feel worse after watching shows like this, because we can easily see that we don't fit in the protagonist's mold, and probably never will.