"The Struggle"

“Have you not done tormenting me with your accursed time!
 It's abominable! When! When! One day, is that not enough 
for you, one day he went dumb, one day I went blind, 
one day we'll go deaf, one day we were born, one day we 
shall die, the same day, the same second, is that not enough 
for you? They give birth astride of a grave, the light
 gleams an instant, then it's night once more.”
 
― Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot

 

 Two things are guaranteed to us in life, a day that we are born and a day when we shall pass and all of the other stuff in between...well let's just say that everything else is the meat in the sandwich, the lesson, the nutrients that we need in order to grow.

I was reminded of this one day by a gentleman seated on a bench outside of the local shopping mall. I greeted him with a kindly salutation as I would greet any other while strolling by, but the rarity of his retort threw me off of my regular hello, goodbye, and move on with your day chatter. Hearing the man's lamented plea, as though he had spent the day in wait for someone or something to recognize his dire situation and all that I could do, while watching my family walk towards the car, is walk away. I didn't take the time!

Later I had realized that Life is not just about what we learn in school; Math, History, Grammar, ect... Life is about what we learn while living it. While waiting for better things to happen. The in between times of trial and error thrown in with a bit of success. The things that make us smile and the things that make us cry. Life is sometimes sitting on the bench while we try to figure it out.

Many have wondered what this thing is that we call life, and I am no exception. I too lie in wait until that day comes, the day that I am cured of my clamorous condition, but until then I guess that I will just...resume the struggle.

JEOPARDY~ Dan Mangan