Side Effects

Everything happens for a reason. Or maybe we could say that, for whatever reason things happen, if it's something you perceive as bad, chances are that it is going to lead you to something good.

If you can't figure that out, don't worry about it. It happens for a reason.

For example. A bad thing happens over here. So that means, maybe this situation is bad. But it provides an opportunity for something over in this other area of my life to improve.

This is why people say not to get too hung up on bad situations. Because if something is bad, and you don't like it, it's like, wait five minutes and the weather will change. You can put a bandage on it (the situation, not the weather), so you don't have to look at it, and wait for it to heal itself. That's really about the only thing you can do. And meanwhile, if you've hurt your arm, for example, you can be sad about not being able to use your arm, or you can concentrate on getting really good at using your other arms. Or arm. Or whatever.

What am I talking about? Well, this is really a collection of occurences, in my mind, and kind of a pattern I observe. It's even, to me, sort of like a rabbit trail, or a little game where I go and pick up the stones that are laid out in a line that will eventually lead me to somewhere, I don't know where, but hopefully it is a good place and not very evil. I like to think they were left by a benevolent source.

But even though they are stones, and they are hard, the point is, that they lead me somewhere good. Maybe somewhere solid.

And while I may mourn the passing of some things along the way, I realize that I really just have to keep going. I can't stop to get upset about any of these things, or I won't get to where it is I am supposed to be. Maybe one good thing turns out to be something bad on the other side, when I turn it over. And then I leave it and take the next one. And maybe I would like to bring some other people with me. But you can't unless they want to. If they are too stuck in the mud to move themselves, there is nothing you can do. Because pulling isn't going to help. Like the dog on a leash that wants to go sniff at something foul - you can't really make him stop by pulling on the leash. He's going to go anyway, even though you try. Or you can try to help him steer clear entirely. But once you get too close, your options are limited.

So maybe I let the reins go a little slack. Maybe I let the horse decide where it wants to go. And I can ride in the carriage, or I can walk in my own direction. But creating a lot of tension isn't going to help, and I can't blame horse for being a horse. Or for having reins, for that matter, if I'm the one who put them on.

Now I'm mixing metaphors a little. I sat down thinking I was going to write out all the details, but now I guess the particulars are not important. I could tell you, but I don't know that it would illustrate my point any better. This way, I leave it open for your interpretation. And we've all been there. We all know how stubborn and incorrigible people can really be, and how hard it can be to be the person who lets go.

But we all need to lead by example. We can't really keep anyone, or anything captive. We can't change who or what we are, or who or what anybody else is. In the end, we can only be responsible for ourselves.