Time moves forward and there is conflict.
Conflict with the joy of change. Conflict with the pain of change. Things
change always, and always there is conflict.
I’ve enjoyed the time spent watching
the wonderful people of Sedona and regurgitating my observations into this
column. For the most part, you are a loving, open people trying to walk
the path of a higher road.
It’s a fictional book about people searching
for their heaven and the roads they take to get there. I’m co-writing
this book with my cousin and friend, James Howell. James’ creativity,
imagination and light have inspired me for some time now.
Before I go, I got a few things to say.
In the opening paragraph I spoke of conflict.
You see, I don’t particularly want to stop writing Synicus, but I do
have other fires which need tending. Suddenly, conflict rears its ugly head.
I saw a friend of mine on these matters. She’s a wonderful lady who
looks for the good in people. She speaks of her love for animals, and how
the gentle, and cloudy spirit. While playing her fiddle, she smiles and
openly admits that she’s not very good. However, anyone listening will
tell you she’s great. People feel the love she puts into her music.
Although life hasn’t dealt her a perfect hand, she still talks more
about what those around her need than what she needs. With her quick smile,
easy laugh, and kind nature, this lady strikes me as being terribly unselfish.
Since I was feeling selfish about wanting
to write my book, I told her my dilemma and asked for her advice.
She said, "Oh, that’s just brussel
sprouts."
To me, brussel sprouts are like hot dogs.
Hot dogs are bits and pieces from various animals that are so bad, they
can’t even make dog food out it. Likewise, I suspect brussel sprouts
are made by a farmer who scrapes his fields then mixes whatever he has scraped
plus green glue and sawdust to make a product which is confused for a vegetable
by the unsuspecting public.
I asked her, "What do you mean,
brussel sprouts?"
She said, "You’ve made this decision
of yours into a huge obstacle. It’s become a wall of guilt you must
climb over. Kind of silly when you think about it. Let me tell you something
very important," she whispered.
I stared at her in disbelief. "No,"
I almost shouted. "I don’t know. I suppose you feed them brussel
sprouts to make them happy—how the hell should I know. I want to talk
about my decision to write the book."
"Your column makes people smile. Your
book will make people happy. It’s a win-win situation. Listen, when
something seems too big for you to handle or understand, just see it as
a big pile of brussel sprouts. The sprouts won’t cause you guilt and
stress and anxiety. In the end your decision isn’t terribly important
because you’ll still get where you’re going."
Even now, the standard Sedona conversation
is confusing and frightening to me. I thought about her words for a time
and came to the conclusion that she was right. Most decisions are just brussel
sprouts which we turn into walls of unpleasant feelings.
Decisions shouldn’t make us stressed-out
or pissed off.... But like brussel sprouts, it’s okay if they make
us a little nauseated from time to time.
Until we meet again.... |