My concrete anchor for 'regret' has always been the image of a library book that is long overdue. It's a small thing, but it's loaded with a sense of passing time, a small failure of responsibility, and the knowledge that there will be a price to pay.
I find that the smaller and more specific the object, the bigger the feeling it can hold.
An image I use to describe ‘ambivalence’ is knocking on the door then turning tail and running away. Also, fond of the use of oxymorons, such as ‘the terrible joy’ or ‘the frightening relief.’
My concrete anchor for 'regret' has always been the image of a library book that is long overdue. It's a small thing, but it's loaded with a sense of passing time, a small failure of responsibility, and the knowledge that there will be a price to pay.
I find that the smaller and more specific the object, the bigger the feeling it can hold.
An image I use to describe ‘ambivalence’ is knocking on the door then turning tail and running away. Also, fond of the use of oxymorons, such as ‘the terrible joy’ or ‘the frightening relief.’
That's a great cinematic image for 'ambivalence.' It's a complete story of approach and retreat in a single action.
And you're so right about oxymorons - they're the ultimate tool for capturing life's contradictory feelings. "The terrible joy" is a perfect example.
A nice addition to the toolkit. Thank you!