Numb.

Have a think, have you ever felt absolutely nothing, emotionally or psychologically, even for a moment? No anger, no joy. No fear or excitement or shock or sadness. No interest or inclination of any kind. If you’re a human being the answer is probably yes.

But here’s the thing about feeling numb - it’s not really the absence of feeling. It’s a feeling in itself. So, when you say you feel numb, you’re actually describing feeling a very specific feeling. You feel the absence of feeling. What a fascinating contradiction. And that is exactly why numb is such an intriguing four-letter paradox. Something describing nothing. A bit like how the silent ‘b’ in ‘numb’ must feel - there, but not there.

The word "numb" first appeared in the 14th century, derived from the Middle English word "nome," meaning "taken" or "seized." A state where all your sensations and emotions have been taken or seized away. Where the body or mind have have been anaesthetised to be fully unaware, rendered quite dead and incapable. Bliss possibly for some.

Numbness has understandably been a recurring theme in art, literature, and music through the ages. I believe it appears in over 1,500 songs across various genres. From rock to hip-hop, artists have been exploring this concept for decades. It seems we're collectively fascinated by the idea of feeling... well, nothing. Pink Floyd's iconic lyric "I have become comfortably numb" from their 1979 hit perfectly encapsulates the strange comfort that numbness can bring. The bliss. But it's a state of being that's both a shield and a prison.

 Ernest Hemingway once wrote about feeling numb: "I live in a vacuum that is as lonely as a radio tube when the batteries are dead and there is no current to plug into." Painting a somewhat nihilistic picture of the isolation that often accompanies numbness.

 And Sylvia Plath, known for her intensely emotional poetry, described her experience with numbness in "The Bell Jar": "I felt very still and empty, the way the eye of a tornado must feel, moving dully along in the middle of the surrounding hullabaloo."

So, what do we do when we find ourselves trapped in this emotional tundra? Sometimes, it takes a shock to the system. Maybe it's a new experience, a change of scenery, or even just a really good cry. I think it’s wise to not ignore or endure or indulge longer-term numbness. Embrace it yes, but understand that it is a temporary coping mechanism.

Trust the ebb and flow of your emotional tides but don’t linger here too long. That’s the numbing truth.