Mind Room

Not mind palace, only Sherlocks and Cromwells have those.

My mind is like a room, thoughts like familiar furniture, revisited everyday, dusted sometimes. Think minimalist: white tiled floor, the bare necessities in their corners, side tables with things I use everyday- hairbrush, ponytail, a rag for wiping. Ooh, there's a piano too. My kindle is always just there.

On the floor are Things To Do in packed and unpacked boxes. Sometimes the floor is clear and all I have to do is sweep away the dust and mop away the spills. But today they are cluttered about the room, and I can't think straight tripping over these boxes.

The Game

All right, this is how we will play. 

I'm not much of a card player, but the metaphor was too deliciously apt. Let's suppose that every card has its ranking from top (best) to bottom (worst). For example: Aces are top and the 2 is bottom. 

Ace
King
Queen
Jack
10 ... down to 2 huhu

For suits, from top to bottom: 

Spades
Hearts
Diamonds
Clubs

Each situation in these stories will be symbolized as a single card deal to add to a card or set of cards you already hold. The situation's outcome is the hand you have after the card is dealt.

The first card

The first card is 'Dealt', which tells you if the thing that happened was good or bad, and to what level.

An Ace of Spades is the best.thing.ever, like falling in love, or winning a million dollars free of tax and hangers on.

best.thing.ever.

A Two of Clubs is just about rock bottom (let's not give examples)

rock bottom

Everything else in between are different levels of yayy, fuck that, and meh.

pretty great!

meh

The second card/s

Let's say you were dealt a 2 of clubs (worst.thing.ever.), but in your hand you had a 2 of spades and a 2 of hearts.

surviving not thriving

 After you've been dealt, you have a pretty rockin' hand:

chicken dinner

importance of consequences

 It is a very bad thing to not allow children to reap the consequences of their actions. Impunity will breed a lack of accountability, laziness, and victim mentality. Case in point: Matthew.

...

It is good for the soul to be loved. But it is bad for the character to be pampered, or smothered.

They say there is strength in being able to ask for help, but that only comes when you have tried to help yourself. There is also strength in refusing help, when you know you can do it for yourself.

Pursuit of Happiness

(Taking up this title from over two years ago, not having any recollection of what it was supposed to be about at the time.)

The pursuit of happiness as a constitutional right is just wrong.

What effect could it have, except to develop the misconception that happiness is something that is pursued, and even worse, something you have a right to? Happiness is an emotion, like anger, frustration, sadness. It cannot live in a vacuum without becoming one. It gets it value precisely in its contrast to sadness/anger/frustration.

Rather, happiness should be considered a side effect. The real pursuits should be for Purpose, Goodness, Truth, Knowledge, Unity. When we achieve these, happiness is just the side effect.

for our own protection

Is it for our own protection that the mind is unable to recall the worst moments ever?

One True

There is one true God, but not one true form of worship.

 Beneath the rubble of each calamity, we nurse a silent exultation: I have survived.