The bittersweetness of life

The expression "bittersweet" most common use is to describe good experiences that aren't entirely good – they have a slight bitterness, something that didn't go down so well. It's joy with a touch of sadness. Victory with a taste of failure. It's the good, but bad. So many things in our lives have this "bittersweet" touch; it's about feeling happiness for a certain achievement but also sadness for some sacrifice. After all, wouldn't all human experiences be somewhat "bittersweet"?

When your child passes to the next grade, but you didn't get the expected promotion at work. When you move abroad, establish a nice space but are distant from your support network to celebrate. Victories with the flavor of an umbrella, as was said in a viral tweet.

Is there an ideal moment for good news? Is there something more bitter in the background?

Does this invalidate the good or the bad experience?

Can we complain about something bad that happened even when something good is also part of the scenario?

Is there room for celebration when something unpleasant is also at play?

These are many questions, and I don't have the intention of answering them. The space in analysis is more about asking questions than answering them, but one thing is certain: the space should be free of judgements. It's a place where validation of feelings can happen – even the ambivalent and bittersweet ones, perhaps especially these.

It won't be someone from the outside who can say, "yes, this is worth celebrating" or "no, better hide that," but what does your internal world say? What is it like to talk about this? Do we really need everything to be black and white?

Speaking freely about it might be easier than feeling and being in contact with these emotions. We cannot deny the bittersweetness of life. It exists and is there (and here); we can only learn how to deal with this mix of flavours.