REFER TO GREY: Contemplations by Robert Greigos © 2007-2024

Researches into the workings of the human mind have been going on for centuries. Even so, we are mostly at a loss to explain why we often just cannot get along with each other. We think differently, perceive things differently, desire different outcomes, have different tolerances for discomfort, suffering, loss, and pain, bring to bear differing ideas, differing levels of experience, and differing skill sets. The list of our differences seems endless. In fact, we differ from each other in so many ways it's rather a wonder any of us get along with each other at all. Yet, most of us do get along with our fellows a great deal of the time. Still, there are those times, times we all know very well.

While watching high waters and heavy rains saturate freshly plowed fields in northern Minnesota this week, forcing a delay in Spring planting, I couldn't help thinking that just like those muddy fields our brains can sometimes get over saturated with all those things that make us different from each other, causing a kind of log jam of things we need to wrap our heads around, process, and adjust to. Such a situation can, at times, become overwhelming, creating feelings of stress and even panic that can lead to rash, sometimes viciously destructive behavior. Too many cold gray sunless winter days can exacerbate those feelings, a condition labeled SAD for seasonal affective disorder. Sunlight and vitamin D have been shown to decrease such feelings and help ease the panic making log jam of unprocessed thoughts and feelings that can build up in affected brains. But because sun is scarce in Winter, not just a few SAD suffering northerners find themselves seeking escape of some kind, in solitude, in travel, in crafts of one sort or another. Anything to help get them out of their bottled up mood and oppressive feeling situation. Some will try drink or drugs. A few unfortunates may even attempt suicide.

When Spring does finally come, the stirrings of new life brought on by the warming air and brightening sunlight, literally seem to melt away a great deal of the ornery crust many have gained over winter months. Just like those over-saturated fields eventually drying out, becoming welcoming and accommodating to new crops, brains that have become inundated with unprocessed thoughts will begin to loosen up and become more and more accommodating of all those things that make us seem entertainingly different from each other, rather than irritatingly and oppressively different from each other.

May the freshness that effervesces near you this season percolate through and warm your mind to appreciating ever richer opportunities for getting along with your fellow humans.