By Carlos V. Cornejo
We might think that
St. Thomas Aquinas being a brilliant theologian, if not the GOAT (Greatest Of
All Time) among theologians much like Michael Jordan is the GOAT among NBA
players, would just talk only about spiritual matters. Surprisingly, he is
practical and down to earth as well. Here are his remedies to sadness from
Summa Theologica that we can apply in our day and age.
First remedy if you are feeling blue is to grant yourself what you
like. If you like ice cream, go for it. If you need to drink a beer or a glass
of wine to relax a bit, have one. If you need to unwind by playing a game
either a physical game of basketball or a mental game of chess, card games or
computer games then do it. Others might prefer to go to the beach or to the
mountains and interact with nature, this would also do. The idea is to reward
yourself with something you like and help your mind be diverted from your
worries.
Second remedy is weeping. Saint Thomas actual words from his book
about this remedy says that “a hurtful thing hurts yet more if we keep it shut
up, because the soul is more intent on it: whereas if it be allowed to escape,
the soul’s intention is dispersed as it were on outward things, so that the
inward sorrow is lessened.” A bad
feeling bottled up inside us could get worse if we don’t release it in a
physical way. Weeping is the soul’s way to release a sorrow that can become
paralyzing. Jesus wept too. And Pope Francis said that there are “certain
truths in life that can only be seen with eyes cleansed by tears. I invite each
of you to ask yourself: Have I learned how to cry?”
Third remedy is sharing our sorrow with a friend. Women are
inherently good at this. They will almost automatically tell their women
friends if they have problems. But this is a problem for men. Men tend to solve
things on their own because men are inclined to believe it’s a sign of weakness
to ask for help. That it is unmanly or not macho not being able to conquer
challenges on your own. Men should be humble enough to acknowledge that
sometimes we don’t have all the answers. Other men or women can give us some
advice. Besides, the act of sharing a sorrow to someone we can trust even
without asking for some advice to our problem from others, is a remedy in
itself for releasing our negative feelings. As the saying goes, “A problem
shared is half solved.”
Fourth remedy is contemplating the truth. What St. Thomas refers to
here is wisdom or trying to see the big picture with our problems. It is
remembering that this is a very imperfect world and that perfect happiness can
only be found in the next (life). Problems are inevitable, because of our
fallen nature prone to error and sin, and because this is how God created our
world as a place and time for testing. We are still students taking an exam and
graduation is still far off. It should lead us to contemplate on the true
meaning of life, why God allows evil to happen and how we can turn
disappointments and frustrations into something good for our soul.
Fifth is taking a bath and sleep well. It can also mean doing some
physical exercise. These are in line with what psychologists would recommend to
relieve stress. Exercise releases chemicals in our bodies called endorphins, a
chemical that triggers positive feelings, while a good sleep reboots our brains
that makes us see our worries in a different light.
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