Cathartic

There is this blogger that I love and respect and am in danger of idolizing. She posted this today. I liked it, so I'm stealing it.

At the end of her post she asks the question,
"What experiences or sensations are cathartic to you?  What provides you with psychological relief through the expressing of strong emotions?"
Four things immediately popped into my mind:

Walking...My favorite time to take a walk is at sunset, just after a storm. The water colored and ink penned world's colors are bleeding and blended from the rain. The sky is painted coral and orange. The smell of wet grass is pungent. The oceany wind whistles through the palm trees and my hair. I never wear shoes, I prefer walking barefoot at the edge of the grass and the road in the puddles. Or is it more like wandering rather than walking? Sometimes I feel like I have little choice in the matter, it's as if the rain beckons me and I must answer it. It's during wanderings such as this when my soul finds healing. Most of the time I don't even know that I am in need of healing. It just happens, and when it does and the weight is lifted from my shoulders and my worries are washed away and I feel the lightness and peace and quiet contentment come sweeping over me...I wonder how I never realized how heavy I was before.

Driving...Early in the morning, with my windows rolled down, and 90.7 classical radio playing. I can't help but smile.
Or at dusk. That's when I turn my radio off, hold my cell phone to my ear (so I don't look like a crazy lady) and talk to God. I wouldn't call it praying, just talking honestly and without inhibition.

Cleaning...Scrubbing baseboards, dusting, sweeping...It frees my mind. Sometimes my mind remains blank, which is a good thing. I feel like my poor brain is always in overdrive. I think and feel too many things all at once almost all the time. Blank can be good thing. I see it as giving it a chance to recharge. Or sometimes I ponder a single thought deeply and fully and as exhaustively as I can.

Creating...I think that one of the best ways we can praise our God is by imitating him. I'm not very good at that, But, I try and where I can imitate, I will. I think that he has gifted me with creativity. Or maybe he hasn't; maybe he has just gifted me with the love of trying to create and the ignorance of my inability. Whatever it is, I do feel closer to him with a paint brush, needle, crochet hook, whisk, rolling pin, or pen in my hand. And what is more "cleansing and purging and emotional and relief and breathing again.
It is overwhelming, like drowning in healing.
It is intense and vulnerable and freeing.
It grounds me, centers me, rebirths me, makes me new"....than growing closer to him?