When the Hard way IS the easy way

I’m sitting in the dining area of our home waiting to keep reminding Sonya to finish her lunch every twelve or so minutes, looking at something that warrants discussion. There’s these three idontknowhatyoucallems  that help decorate the wall above the staircase leading up into the house. Inscribed on each of these are respectively; dance like there’s nobody watching, love like you’ll never get hurt, and sing like there’s nobody listening. All three are basically promoting a well advertised philosophy to make it through life in this broken and dang near hopeless day and age rife with strife and struggle.

Escape. Escape the physical reality of a challenge by mentally turning it into a safer way less harmful version of what it really is. The lion is really a cute little lamb, the oncoming buffalo bull is really a stumbling little calf, and you will wake up to this perspective when you count back from ten. It’s not a storm it’s a persistent drizzle. I’ve seen these three sayings in many homes, I have to say mostly ladies, and have to wonder who or how many this philosophy works for.

Shortcuts don’t really shorten the time you have to face or deal with a problem, if anything they placate both it and you while lengthening the period you two are stuck with each other. Life sucks, you drink your way into a bottle or inject your way into a drug high, roll up, light up, sniff up your release. But then you inevitably wake up from your high, smoke session, drunken stupor. Your body has been negatively affected, life doesn’t suck any less, and if you’re lucky, you’ll notice.

The longer you stay with a problem, the more a part of you it becomes, this ranges from heroin addiction to fear of crowded spaces and heights or vertigo. The sooner you deal with something, the sooner it goes away. The escape isn’t your escape, because whatever it is, it doesn’t take you away from the problem. It just makes you forget about for a while.

For those not into spiritual discussion past the mention of God, this is your third to last sentence. I wish more of those little sayings gave people a little more credit, told them to dance in spite of who was watching, love in spite of who hurt them, and listen in spite of who was singing. Because happiness and fulfillment isn’t or should never be dependant on another human being, for they always disappoint no matter how well intentioned. And for my risk takers, this all applies except to add that your happiness doesn’t depend on you or other people, but that one other, name above all names, who loves to watch you dance, loves to listen to you sing, and will never hurt you for loving him.

Nothing worth doing has any real simpler replacements, leave alone shortcuts.