Diminishing our Happiness

Beginning with the 17th of the month of Tammuz, we started a period of the 3 weeks where we will progressively increase our state of mourning for the Beis HaMikdash until we reach Tisha B'Av, which commemorates the destruction of the first two temples. Unless, of course, Moshiach comes before then, and the Beis HaMikdash is rebuilt; then we will forever be in simcha! But until then, we are now in a period of mourning. I have especially felt this being in Erez Yisrael. Many of my classes revolve around the 3 weeks and the 9 days of even stricter mourning, and it has become so clear to me that we truly need to use this time to realize that all of the trials and tribulations in the world, even heat waves in the weather, would immediately be resolved if we would have the Beis HaMikdash back.
While we should constantly be praying for the return of the Beis HaMikdash and Moshiach, it seems that this period of diminished happiness is a time when it can constantly be on our minds. The halachas of this period pertain directly to events that happened when we had the Beis HaMikdash, and we refrain from doing them to remember why we are mourning. While some of the limitations during the 9 days may seem a little over the top to some people, such as not showering or doing laundry, it is with a certain mindset that one can truly begin to hit the tip of the iceberg in understanding how unbelievably tragic it really is that we are without the Beis HaMikdash. Eyaht has helped me realize that it is hard for us to actually feel the sadness of this loss because it is so far in our psst. We must take extreme measures in order to even begin to realize our sadness. So whether it is reading "To Vanquish the Dragon" by Pearl Benisch, sitting on the floor, not wearing clean clothing, or going to classes and learning about the Beis HaMikdash and the laws and the meanings behind these 9 days coming up, I believe it is so imperative for everyone to do what they can to mourn and remember exactly what all Jews are longing for.
May Moshiach come very soon and, please G-d, let this be the last time we are mourning for the Beis HaMikdash.