Last night, a friend decided to make one last post for the year that was leaving. In just three small words he made his feelings evident: “2011, fuck you.”
It had been a hard year for him. He had lost his job. He struggled with depression. His car had mechanical problems. He was being plagued by migraines. He got a job which required him to move across the country leaving behind his wife, friends and family. And he is struggling to support two households located different sides of the continent.
Amazingly enough, all of his anger was directed towards the year 2011, as though the intangible movement of time were somehow responsible for everything that had gone wrong in his life. He didn’t curse the boss who fired him, or the car the died, or his health, or even the new job. He didn’t blame himself for anything, even though he was the one who made many of the decisions. Everything went wrong for him and it was 2011′s fault.
What he didn’t seem to notice is all the good things that happened. Because he was fired, he was available to apply for and be hired at a more prestigious company for a higher salary. Because his car died, he had to walk to work more, thus forcing his body to produce more endorphines which helped alleviate his feelings of depression. His year hadn’t really been rotten—that was just the aspect he focused on.
Now I don’t usually subscribe to the concepts of good or bad. What one person views as good can be seen as bad by someone else. What if everything that happened—just happened?
I’m gonna leave you with a zen story about an old farmer his neighbors ideas of good and bad.
There once was an old farmer in a remote village. He was the envy of all his neighbors because he owned the only horse in the village. “This is good,” said his neighbors.
“It could be good, it could be bad,” said the old farmer. “I don’t know. It just is.”
One day the horse ran away. “Oh, this is bad,” said the neighbors.
“It could be good, it could be bad,” said the old farmer. “I don’t know. It just is.”
The next day, the horse came back, bringing another horse with it. “Oh, this is good,” said the neighbors.
“It could be good, it could be bad,” said the old farmer. “I don’t know. It just is.”
The next day, the farmer’s son tried to ride the new horse, but it threw him and the son’s leg was broken. “Oh, this is bad,” said the neighbors.
“It could be good, it could be bad,” said the old farmer. “I don’t know. It just is.”
The next day, the army marched into town and rounded up all the young men for military service. Because of his broken leg, the old farmer’s son was the only one spared. “Oh, this is good,” said the neighbors.
“It could be good, it could be bad,” said the old farmer. “I don’t know. It just is.”
