Woe Is Me
by Michael Feeley
“Woe is me” versus “How fortunate I am.”
Both are choices. Both are available at the same time.
“Woe is me” wraps us in victimhood—dramatic, self-focused, announcing our suffering to the world. It’s oddly comfortable because it requires nothing of us. It can even become a kind of confidence—confidence in our pain, in our unfortunate status—a place where accountability disappears.
Lose your job? “Woe is me, the world is against me.” Face illness? “Woe is me, why is this happening to me?” It’s a story that writes itself, requiring no growth, no change, no next step.
“How fortunate I am” demands more. It asks us to look past our pain and find what remains good. Not denial—acknowledgment. Not toxic negativity—honest gratitude. The pain is real. The loss is real. And yet—what else is also true?
This isn’t about choosing one or the other in pure form. It’s about which lens you lead with. Pain acknowledged, then gratitude sought. “This is hard, AND I still have people who care. I still have my skills. I still have tomorrow.”
“Woe is me” comes from the Bible—ancient even when Shakespeare used it for Ophelia in Hamlet. Centuries later, we still recognize its mournful tone. Yet life still gives us both options daily.
Which do you choose when chaos arrives? Your answer shapes everything that follows.
Thanks – Michael (he, him)
Please share my Daily with others.
This is also key – Big Emotions.
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