Running's Rants

Town Herald: Runing's Rants

Life is like a Box of Chocolates…

A quotable quote form the 1994 movie - Forrest Gump: “My mama always said, life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.”

You never really know what life is going to hand out to you next; a broken home, a lost job, finding the love of your life, getting that raise that you deserve, an unexpected but very welcome baby that brings sunshine into the lives of many - it could be anything and most times we don't expect it.

This year I have gotten a few surprises already, some good and others not so desirable but as they come I tell myself “What won't kill you will make you stronger”. I see life as a challenge and try to face it head on. I will not claim to be fearless, a good number of things give me anxiety, but “courage is not a towering oak that sees storms come and go, courage is the fragile flower that opens in the snow”.

Facing challenges makes us grow and prepares us for even bigger things to come and even though it is gloomy at night, the sun always rises. I read somewhere that with shorter days and longer nights the rate a suicides rise, how sad. In some cultures they look forward to the changing seasons and celebrate it along with life, surrounded by family and friends.

You may say you have no family or friends, but the truth is if you are a friend to someone you will earn one too. The fences that you build to keep people out are the same ones that keep you locked in. Try a smile and maybe a song (or just whistle the tune), a cheery Good morning from the girl at the café always makes me smile back and why not, happiness and laughter are contagious.

My foul mouthed neighbour reminded me of the problems we have in our building a few days ago. The water pressure gives us hypertension, and a stray wire somewhere in the building supplies us with a shocking experience when we touch the water forceps (the jolt is more uncomfortable and unnerving than dangerous), this happens only on occasion. Getting the utility manager to find the problem has proved abortive seeing that it would cost the owner of the building more than he is willing to invest. Without a doubt I am moving soon.

I could focus on the constant power cuts that leave me rushing madly to meet deadlines on five articles for two magazines, home work for the institute and designs for the décor company which wrecks my concentration and brings out the worst in me as far as creativity goes, but I have chosen not to. Yes it's a choice; we choose to let these things get the better of us.

We can be better people, we can put in our best in what we do, we can make the day brighter for others, we can hold our heads high and walk tall knowing that these things will pass if we hold on and keep working on ourselves, after all our personalities are constantly under construction until we lay still in the grave. While we live we can hope for the best and plan for the worst.

I don't know if the Utility manager is going to see the need to improve our living conditions, I don't know if the landlord will bankroll an overhaul of the wiring in the building, but the things that are within my power I will strive to change, everything else I will leave to chance, although it could be argued that everything that happens is a consequence of actions or inaction not necessarily on ones path.

Life is like a box of chocolates. I love the caramel fillings, sometimes it's a jelly fill – ugh, and then some people just end up with nuts…

Here is some advice, I will leave it to you to decide if it's good or not.

Reflect on the past but don't dwell in it, enjoy the present – it's a gift, value it, live in the moment, then of course look to the future, plan for it, dream and work towards accomplishing those goals you see in the distance, and always remember dates on the calendar may be closer than they appear.

Have a wonderful year and a fulfilling future.