Enjoy the Exorcist!

This human life is a vale of tears.

Stuff constantly happens that we don’t want to happen. Sometimes we are mildly disappointed. Sometimes we are heartbroken. And sometimes we downright slip into depression.

Behind all this is the notion that we are in control. We believe that if we have a good idea and come up with a plan to achieve what we conceive, and execute on that plan, then we will get what we want.

But life does not work that way. We ‘fail’. And then we go on our soul-searching journey. We should have executed better on our plan. We should have done ‘x’. Or not done ‘y’. We should have prayed harder or propitiated different gods. Or maybe we are just ‘unlucky’ and doomed to failure.

I am constantly amazed at the many marvelous ways in which our best laid plans gang aft agley. Can you remember an instance in your life when something came unstuck in the most unbelievably, unforeseeable way? I bet you can.

Zack ran a sophisticated fabrication plant and received a big order from the DOD. It was very important that the item be created to precise tolerances. The work was complicated and had to pass through several machines and lathes. Zack made sure that his most skilled operatives handled this important order, and the latest machines were available for the work.

The job took days and was finished on time. The machined item met all the specifications handily. But, somehow, somewhere during the manufacturing process, the liquid used to cool the cutting tools was heavy water which had been in contact with nuclear material. The entire unit was radioactive and could not be shipped.

You do not have control. You never had control. You never will have control. Be at peace with this.

So, instead of railing against the world because it will not give you what you want, how about treating it as a movie that you chose to watch.

Even better, treat life as if it was a movie that you are thoroughly enjoying.
Can you enjoy stuff that you do not like?

Certainly you can. You probably do not like being scared but you go to see the Exorcist and are perfectly fine with the thrills and chills on the screen. You chose to see that movie.

Treat life the same way.

And then the misfortunes you suffer are merely the plotlines of the movie. And you enjoy that movie as you wait to see how all the complications are finally resolved.

Peace!