I’ve always wanted to know good synonyms for “good,” “bad,” and “sad” to use in my essays. Melancholy was one such word for “sad,” but it was always so difficult to use without sounding awkward and out of place. As an undirected and pensive sadness, it seems to have a highly specialized use. While I don’t often find the use for melancholy in essays, I do find use for it in real life. Melancholy and sadness are emotions that everyone needs to feel to take part in the human experience. They put one in a mindset to think deeply about difficult situations and questions that no other emotion does. Many times, sorrow is felt by oneself, so it allows for introspection that might be difficult to engage in at other, happier times. I always feel that I understand myself better and have grown into a stronger person after a bout of melancholy.