Bumps and bruises

It's a common belief that positive thinking leads to a happier healthier life. As children we are told to smile, be cheerful, and put on a happy face. As adults we are told to look on the bright side, to make lemonade, and see glasses as half full. Sometimes reality can get in the way of our ability to act the happy part though. Your hope can fail, boyfriends can cheat, friends can disappoint. It's in these moments when you just want to get real, drop the act, and be your true scared unhappy self. ~ GA

My days are spent organising things to make it easier for this move. Six years of history need to be assembled in a manner comprehendible upon unpacking. Bits and pieces of items are tucked together in small boxes and folders, which included sorting out beads of four different craft-making sets of bracelet and necklace. Not an easy task when they were bundled in a big bag. Thankfully the young lady has an eye on details, thus dutifully helping me out. Phew!

Naturally, the act unfolds bittersweet memories. A look at a picture, card or gift triggers a flashback and we can’t help but wonder how did we get from there to here. All I can say is that there is no map or manual to guide us in this passage.

People tend to camouflage their life, thinking that by doing so, they would appear happy. Everyone has a different way in handling void in life and maybe this method works best for them. Yet chances are, it is a quick temporary fix and delays the act of facing the real issues, something most of us dread doing. It is better to have a distraction and get ourselves caught in that whirlpool until it stops at our own pleasure, hoping that by then we are ready to deal with the situation.

Unfortunately, we never are.

Perhaps it is good to let the distraction carry us away for as long as it takes. Perhaps it is better to appear happy and shiny all the time, despite whatever is going on in our head.

Yet, why can’t we allow ourselves succumb to our own emotions? Why can’t we tell ourselves that we should do things differently and face the music?

Sometimes it is ok to let our feelings have their way and that we should be permitted to stay in bed and cry all day. Sometimes we need to change the way we’ve been handling things so that for once, we might get a different outcome.

Letting our emotions flow shouldn’t be seen as a failure and one day in bed hardly counts. Similarly, doing something different and against the norm could be a good thing. Even I have to speak the languages of mythical creatures to understand what’s inside the young lady’s head.

Life is about having bumps and bruises. As long as we have our first aid kit by our side in whatever form, it should be ok. It makes life interesting.