The Weight of Despondency

 

There are some things that appear

like they shouldn’t work.

Then, there are things that work

that look like they should.

I’d like to examine just those things

that look like they shouldn’t but do.

Example:

Water is heavy.  A lot of water is heavier.

Nothing, except the weight of the planet itself

weighs more than the ocean.

Conclusion:  The ocean should sink.

A large cruise ship, with all of its furniture, snacks, equipment,

passengers and their pocket change are not as heavy

as the ocean.  Assuming for gravity’s sake that heavy things

belong on the bottom and light things on the top,

seeing a cruise ship stay on top of the ocean seems correct.

However, take those same passengers, even with their pockets

and pocket change, place them in the water and they should

float even more than does the cruise ship; most of them weighing less than the ship.  Here’s the thing…

Larry, having lost all of his pocket change to the slot machines

on the cruise ship, became despondent, not to mention still a

little hungry.  Larry jumped overboard.  Now, you would think

that not having the weight of his pocket change, he would be

just that much lighter.  Well, guess what?

 

Larry sunk like a rock.

Conclusion:  despondency has a significant weight to it.

The ship’s psychologist reported that it was Larry’s despondency that resulted in his sinking, and as Larry’s despondency was not detected previous to his boarding, the ship cannot be held liable.

 

Next week’s discussion:  The exchange rate of anxiety.