Wow. Kierkegaard really stunned me this week. I feel like my entire definition of despair has drastically broadened, though I still pretty much have no idea what it actually is. One thing that really fascinated me was his indication about how despair spans broadly from the ones who won't be themselves to the demoniac one who despairingly wishes to be themselves. I've though about these types of things being insecurity issues before, but never heard them placed as the byproduct of despair.
I completely related to his hurt over the ones who basically don't live to embrace their true personage within the Father, but I've never seen this pain and empathy explained and labeled to intricately. I can't even begin to explain the ways that despair manifests itself, but it seemed to me that Kierkegaard sees despair as almost the root of all mankind's problems. These are things that we don't discuss in life, in churches - anywhere. Why? Why do we assume that these inward and outward struggles can be simply explained. Or perhaps simply explained away? It will be interesting to see where Kierkegaard goes with this.
I love his definition of despair. It defiantly made me think more about what is truly horrifying. Death is just another part of eternal life!
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