Pity?

September 19th, 2015| Topic: RaMbLeS | 0

Feeling sad? Somerville, in ye olde state of Massachusetts, is the place you need to head to.

Why? They had a “Pity Party” last week! (I’m not kidding.) In Union Square. MA 02143. Two miles northwest of Boston.

(Only in Mass.! Maybe they’ve a lot to be sad about?)

Local artist Greg Cook had the bright idea. People who are sad, he declared, should be together. So the Somerville Arts Council decided to sponsor the shindig.

On the event’s Facebook site:

A pity party is usually a kind of party you have by yourself to wallow in sadness—wear pajamas, binge on ice cream, listen to sad songs. Now imagine that as a free, community, block party in Union Square. . . sad for the whole family.”

Here’s what you can expect:

Sad bands, depressing clowns, melancholy poetry, and video games that you just can’t win. Mainly we’re thinking funny-sad, but we’re genuinely depressed by troubles in our lives and the world. Seriously. Let’s call this a funny exorcism of all that’s been getting us down. So turn that grin upside down and help us make Somerville the saddest town around.”

Somberville!

“Depresstival” they call it. You can find a “Tear Dispensary,” a “Complaint (& Catharsis) Department,” “Climate Change Carnival Games,” “Sad Sap” video game, “Anti-Sadily [sic!] Shark Juice Medicine Show” [Wow!], a sad caricaturist [not sure if it is the caricature or the caricaturist who is unhappy here], and—get this!—a love letter writing station: “feed your completed letter into a slot that goes right into a garbage can.”

The only redeeming feature is the free (FREE!) ice cream. And, of course, the City of Somerville’s Health Department providing information and resources about depression.

Over 4,500 have RSVP’d. I don’t know how many actually turned up.

Sorrow is better than laughter,
For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
Ecclesiastes 7:3

No idea why. Maybe it has something to do with the previous verse.

It is better to go to a house of mourning
Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because that is the end of every man,
And the living takes it to heart.
Ecclesiastes 7:2

It might be “healthier” to be realistic and consider the end of man, and the tumult and tribulations of this life.

For man is born for trouble,
As sparks fly upward.
Job 5:7

Man, who is born of woman,
Is short-lived and full of turmoil.
Job 14:1

Because all his days his task is painful and grievous;
even at night his mind does not rest.
This too is futile.
Ecclesiastes 2:23

That’s one way of looking at it. And it is true: life is fraught with problems. Because of the sinful condition of humanity and, indeed, the sin-tainted condition of all creation.

But there is hope.

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you;
He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
Psalm 55:22

The rest we seek, we will find only in God.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden,
and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28

And one day, soon and very soon, we will find perfect peace and rest.

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace,
who called you to His eternal glory in Christ,
will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
1 Peter 5:10

Rest at last; rest at last. Thank God Almighty, we’ll have rest at last!