I don’t mean to limit the
choices to two. They are infinite, of course. What I’m getting at is knowing
what you want to be, who you want to be, and then not expecting to reap the
benefits of a life not chosen.
There are times when we all
want to have it both (or multiple) ways: Remain free and make the commitment; try something new and remain where we’re comfortable; take the easy way out
and stay with the challenge and
hop on and off the ferris wheel
while it’s still going around, etc., etc.
The olive business is
something I heard many, many years ago. It was someone (maybe on the radio) describing
himself or herself (I no longer remember which) that way. We’re talking about a
green olive, the kind that puckers your mouth, an acquired taste, not for everyone.
The day may be fast
approaching when being a bookseller will go in the same column with being a
blacksmith. We are a vanishing breed, and (unlike the dinosaurs) we see our
probable end drawing nigh. As for philosophers, they have always irritated
nonphilosophers. There is nothing on which they will not weigh in with an opinion! Who asked them, anyway?
But I couldn’t be an M&M
if I tried. I’m just grateful that there’s a place for green olives in my part
of the world, a place where we are not only tolerated by even—but a few—appreciated!
It is enough. I chose this path with my eyes open, and most days I look ahead with a happy smile.
6 comments:
Good Post, Grath. I'm an Olive too and I also have no Ability what so ever to be an M&M instead, which BTW, has an Interesting Implication in relation to the Subject of Choices.
For after all, can we really Choose who we are? Do we Choose our Own Genetic Tendencies? Do Philosopher's Really Choose to be Olives, rather then M&Ms, or were we just Born that Way? Apparently, God does not want the M&Ms to go through Life without the Annoying Challenge of the Olives. All I've got to say is if you don't Like it, then you better Take it Up with God because I'm just Acting in Accordance to the Way He has Created me.
Thanks for the Post and do not ever stop being exactly who you are.
Lista, I love the way you put it: "the annoying challenge of the olives"! You've given me a good laugh!
In graduate school in philosophy, we used to speculate endlessly: Are we weird because we study philosophy, or do we study philosophy because we're weird?
I can safely promise to remain myself. You do the same!
I Studied Psychology and in a lot of ways that is even Worse. Some People Think that there is nothing Worse then someone who is Continually Analyzing Everything and Everybody. Oh well.
I certainly get it about psychology, too. We have a friend who is a retired psychiatrist, and he says people always get an alarmed look when they hear what he did for a living. Suddenly they become very careful about what they're saying, afraid of giving themselves away. Ha! As if we don't all do that, all the time, anyway, eh?
Were I an M&M, guess I would be the kind that is nutty inside...
Shall we sing it? "Sometimes you feel like a nut...."
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