as many religious leaders and philosophers have taught us, life is difficult - but it can be made less difficult if we accept the fact that it is difficult. likewise, we can make it more difficult if we fight the fact that it is difficult.
there have been a lot of difficulties around here lately. chief among them are the people who have struggled through immense heat with no electricity as a result of a number of powerful, dangerous storms.
the heat, in and of itself, even if you are among the lucky (and i am) who have had power throughout it all, is daunting. when you can see the heat and smell the heat and touch the heat - and practically eat the heat.......it's hot.
before leaving for a few days (that ended up being cut short by one) for cedar point with abby, eli, and the kids, i challenged myself not to complain even once about how hot it is. i wanted to accept the fact that scorching heat is difficult, thereby making it less difficult. i did not succeed. i complained. not incessantly and not even a lot, but i complained. and, when i wasn't complaining out loud, i was often complaining silently.
my little experiment has taught me a coupla things. one, that although it might be possible to accept the fact that life is difficult, thereby making it less difficult (or even not difficult at all), it is so difficult to accept the fact that life is difficult that trying to accept that it's difficult just makes it more difficult.
and two,
it's hotter 'n hell out there.
