Catharsis

They did it.

They won.

And I cheered. 

I high-fived. 

I yelled. 

I sauntered down the ramps of Shea with a smile on my face.

And yet…

I don’t feel HAPPY today like I thought I would.

Maybe it’s just that I’m being cautiously optimistic after I promptly crowed "Off the Schneid!" in my post following Perez’s win against the Yankees and Clemens, only for that lovely win to have been so quickly followed by two less-than-lovely Bronx bombs.

Believe me, I rejoice in a Mets win.  And I am not punishing the Mets or asking them to "do penance" for their losses.  I don’t play those games:

"You guys were SO AWFUL that I am NOT going to cheer for you until you’ve won THREE GAMES STRAIGHT and that’s final.  Take THAT, you guys!"

Like they would really care what I think.

No, I’m not withholding my love from them or playing hard-to-get or distancing myself somewhat so I won’t get my heart ripped out again or any other such nonsense.

Maybe, it’s more a matter that, after being down so long, last night’s win at home was more of a cathartic experience than it was a celebratory win. 

Perhaps I am not alone in this reaction.  Fellow Mets blogger Toasty Joe compares his feelings following the Met win last night to (How shall I put this delicately?) relieving oneself in the bathroom after an inability to do so for quite some time. (Scroll down to post entitled "Ahhh…") 

Appropriately enough, the term catharsis has been used for centuries as a medical term meaning a "purging".  The Greek word katharsis comes from kathairein (to purge) and from katharos (pure).

With regard to the term’s application to Greek tragedy, Aristotle described catharsis as a purifying or figurative cleansing of the emotions, especially pity and fear–a most necessary element of any tragedy in his estimation.

But I was referring more to the word’s psychological usage in which it can be defined as a technique used to relieve tension and anxiety by bringing repressed feelings and fears to consciousness.

Playing my own shrink for a moment, I think I just had to have gone to at least one home game and yelled and screamed and cheered  and clapped and chanted.  For some good Mets starting pitching.  For a lot of Mets hits.  For some Mets getting on base and NOT GETTING LEFT ON BASE.  For a few Mets home runs.  For a good outing by the bull pen.  For an overall positive baseball experience.

Maybe it was just too much to expect (or too SOON to expect) that I would feel exhilarated by their win last night. 

Maybe all of that physical activity on the field–and off the field in my Mezzanine Box–was slowly but effectively purging and cleansing some of those awful pitching starts, horrible swings, bone-headed fielding playing, frustrations over injuries, frustrations over conflicting reports regarding injuries, etc., and the anguish and frustration caused thereby from my system. 

Maybe last night was part of a process.  A process TOWARD celebration.

I sure hope so.  I sure like the feel of the "thrill of victory"!