Dealing with Guilt

[originally written on 2016/05/19]

I regularly struggle with overwhelming, soul-crushing guilt. For what? I have no clue, but one could swear, by the look of me, that I’d done something horrible. I can easily provide a list of reasons to feel guilty, but it wouldn’t make much sense. I’ve been told, “So…you do your best and you still make mistakes. That means you’re human.”

That isn’t enough. If I’m doing the best I can, why do I still feel guilty?

Matt Murdock asks this of Father Lantom in Penny and Dime, the fourth episode of this season’s Daredevil.  Despite his best efforts, bad things still happen to good people.  We, the viewer, know that this isn't his fault.  He’s trying.  Why feel guilty about failing where others don’t even bother to try?

I expected the pseudo-philosophical “you have to find the answer for yourself” BS response.  The trailer peddled as much with “the guilt means your work is not yet finished”.  Instead, the viewer is given real guidance:

Like referred pain.  Knowing the source of this guilt does not make it go away, but it might make matters more manageable.

Whoever wrote this scene, thank you.