Wouldn’t
want to be too obvious, now would we? However, I could enter the talent
show with some chainsaw-juggling, or sword-swallowing, or perhaps some
comedic monologue. First, I would need to learn to juggle while
simultaneously not chopping off a limb, swallow a sword without dying,
and then learn how to act.
...oh, look at that. I’m acting like I already know how. CHECK. CHECKEROO. CHECKTOWN, Population: 1.
Life
is NOT like a box of chocolates. Unfortunately for Gump, he apparently
never turned over the top of the box and saw the little map of what
everything was. Life is like a huge poker game. You’re going in blind,
you only know your own cards, you bluff your way through a lot of
situations, and in the end, win or lose, you still played the game. Life
is a gamble.
I like to gamble.
In
fact, I come from a gambling family. My grandparents are cardsharks. My
grandfather will steal all your pennies at the poker games we play
without remorse, and with considerable skill. My grandma is also a great
player and loves it. In fact, we’re all gamblers. We love casinos. The
noise, the people, the vague desperation mixed with the heady scent of
winning. You see all walks of life on the casino floor, and you can see
the happiest and the saddest in people.
Word of advice: Never hit on a 12 or higher.
Life
is sometimes simply a roll of the dice. You don’t know what will come
up, you can’t guarantee any particular combination, but you know the
basic parameters of the game, even if you don’t understand all the
particular nuances yet.
Hmm...for
me, life is like craps. I don’t understand all of it, but it looks and
sounds hella fun, and I want to play! I will play. People say ‘life is
short’ and I guess you can think so, but I disagree. Life is the longest
thing any of us will ever experience! So experience the hell out of
life! Drink beer, play cards, hang out with friends. Work hard, play
hard, love hard.
 |
| NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENS HERE. But it seems really awesome. |
When
I love someone, I love hard. Whether it is a significant other, a
friend, a family member, or string cheese, it doesn’t matter. I have a
hard and steady type of love. It is unconditional. It never says “If
only you didn’t do THIS.” or “I’d love you more if you were like THAT.” I
am not talking about lust or companionship or even familial bonds.
My
love isn’t soft, or minor, or small. I like, and I love, with all of
myself. This has burned me in the past, of course. And I would be naive
to say that I won’t ever get hurt by it again, but am I going to let
some hurt feelings and perhaps a bruised ego stand in the way? Of course
not. Life is all about the people you surround yourself with and the
way you feel about yourself and those people. I have a support system of
honest, amazing, rambunctious, loving friends and family, and I know
every day how lucky I am to have them.
Soft,
crappy, inconsequential love or like is the worst. When you are 2 steps
above apathy. You like someone, but you wouldn’t go out of your way for
them. No thanks, movin' on.
I
wonder about people who don’t gamble at all, who never take any risks or
jump from the plane. I don’t mean unnecessary risks, like jumping
without a parachute, or playing Russian roulette with a kamikaze pilot. I
just mean fun risks. Riding a scary roller coaster, skiing, falling in
love at least once, learning something new, flicking a spider with your bare
finger (gasp!).
I
also wonder about people who can’t help but gamble. I mean, the
compulsion of it, the hint of feeling like everything is riding on one
card or roll of the die. I couldn’t live like that, constantly on the
edge between destitute and elation, not sure which way you’d fall. I am a
big believer in a comfortable middle ground.
Enjoy risk, but the golden rule always applies:
Never gamble with more than you can afford to lose.
Love
is a gamble. Relationships are hard. They can be confusing and scary
and exciting and comfortable, all at the same time. Wouldn’t be as fun
if they were boring!
Love,
my dear, young, sweet readers, is a ridiculous, silly, fun,
treacherous, dangerous, scary, rewarding ride that everyone should try.
Fear is fine. Everyone feels fear. But to allow that fear to hold you
back from something that can so significantly impact your life in the
best (and sometimes worst) way, is lacking courage. Courage, bravery, is
when you do something even though it scares you.
In
fact, I recently wrote a song about it. I had this phrase “Bravery in
the face of fire” floating around in my head for quite a while, before
finally writing a wonderful song about it and getting it out of my head
and onto the page.
I
hope, one day, to be 85 years old and still playing poker. I dislike
the slot machines, but not because the odds are so terrible, and not
because I dislike happy clanging and bells and whistles when you win.
THAT I enjoy. I dislike the slot machines because they aren’t
interactive. Playing poker and roulette and blackjack at least require a
modicum of skill, and paying attention, and interacting with the
dealer. I like that. :) Even when you lose, you get your money’s worth
of play.
So
there you have it. Life is not a box of chocolates or a bowl of
cherries, or any of those trite things you read on Hallmark cards. Life
is a gamble, a rush, a throw of the dice. So, play hard, love hard,
bluff when you need to, learn how to lose gracefully, and know when to
fold ‘em and walk away.
But trust me on this one: Never hit on a 12 or higher.
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