WORD OF THE WEEK: Doleful

Summary: This is the last week we'll be looking at depression, one of the issues that often challenges our brains during communication. In keeping with the theme, this week's WOW is doleful ...

Last week, my extended family experienced the loss of a wonderful woman named Pauline. A fun, spirited woman, Pauline had a cheery effect on us whenever she was around. She was smiling and accepting, and she was even up for poking fun at herself instead of taking herself too seriously. I, for one, can learn a lot from her legacy.

We're all grieving the loss of her presence, to say the least. One of the most insidious aspects of grief is its ability to pop up whenever it wants to: Often the death of one loved one will take us back to the losses of those we're still somehow inwardly mourning. Because Pauline's passing was unexpected, I've found myself thinking a lot lately about other family members who were taken away too soon and without warning: a cousin who overdosed, another who was shot and killed, and an uncle who died in a car accident. One thing that's different in this case is that Pauline fortunately lived a long, full life and was even a great-grandmother.

I guess you could say I've been a little doleful in my thinking over the last week. Not familiar with the term? Let me help:

Doleful (DOHL - full) – (adj.) cheerless or full of grief; also, causing grief or affliction; also, expressing grief/sadness. Synonyms can include: melancholy, plaintive, plangent, funereal—or even sad or depressed.

The last thing I want to do is bring you down as I speak my truth. So, here's something to look forward to: The next post will include more links on changing your brain, plus some tips and tricks for ways you can improve your communication even when negative thinking (like that found in depression) tries to hijack you.

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