Yesterday in my part of the world we experienced a total eclipse of the sun.  It was an awesome thing to behold to say the very least.  It seemed to just strip away all the worries of daily life and I came away somewhat rejuvenated.  It left me with a feeling of being a part of something bigger than myself.  I felt connected to the other people who had experienced the sight as well.   Everywhere we went people were talking about the eclipse.  There was a feeling of togetherness in the air.  This added to the wonder of the whole experience.  We all had seen the same glorious sight.  We had all shouted together in unison as the moon covered the sun.  It is enough to give you goosebumps.

The truth is if we stay mindful of the realities of life, we could experience this feeling of togetherness daily. All it takes is a moment to remember we are all having the same experience every day.  It is called life.  We have all experienced illness, pain, grief, anger and fear.  We all have felt pride, joy, love, and pleasure. Not all at once, together like the viewing of an eclipse.  But sometime during our lives we will all experience every bit of what life can be, the good and the not so good.

What does this have to do with your mental health?  Well the world just feels like a better place to live when you realize your not the only one going through all of this.  You won’t feel quite as lonely or picked on.  That will improve your outlook on life and increase your personal joy.  You will be kinder.  Maybe just a little less anger and frustrated.  Hopefully happier.

I think it is worth the price of admission and so I am going to give it a shot in the dark.  Hope to see you there.