Rambling

There was a tragedy this week where a friend's friend was murdered. I asked him how he was feeling today and he replied that this has put things into perspective for him. This is such an interesting statement to me. 

I am no stranger to tragedy. By our age, many of us have experienced some form of loss. I remember in high school there would be between-clique-fighting. This one wasn't talking to that one because the other one kissed the guy she liked. Or vice versa. 

And then one day someone's dad died. And suddenly we were all friends, and the fights were forgotten and we were loudly announcing that there are more important things in life. Until the next week when she tried to kiss him again and the other she didn't like it and she said "no, you di'int" and the between-clique-fighting resumed. 

Grief is such an important process. It is devastating, it feels all-consuming and as much as you try to fight it there is no escape. But it is important to give in to it, because if you do, you will overcome it. 

We complain about the things that we struggle with, don't like, want less of, want more of. And then we are reminded of people worse off than us and suddenly it puts things into perspective and we laugh at our first world problems. Until FedEx doesn't deliver and you have to drive all the way to the local facility to pick it up and that just pisses you off. 

Living life requires an oscillation of every kind of emotion. You need to experience the dark to appreciate the light. See the ying and you will feel more compassion for the yang. Don't despair when you get caught up in your own world of problems, because they are your own. And something will always come along and put things into perspective following which you will re-allign, and return.

Advice from a 40-something year old.

42.19