It Never Rains but It Pours

I have always maintained there are two Steve Martins, and two distinct types of Steve Martin films. “Leap of Faith” is a very well done, funny but thought provoking movie starring Steve Martin, Debra Winger, and Meatloaf, where Martin’s character, reverend Jonas Nightingale answered the question of “when’s it gonna rain” with his own question, “what is rain?” He then goes on to ask the congregation “when’s it gonna stop?” I would ask the same question for all of us, well most of us.

Jonas’ point is that the rain in our lives is the bills, and the neighbors that we are fighting with, it is being a single parent, or having issues with your spouse, being sick, fighting with the bank over the mortgage, have you ever seen so many foreclosures at one time? There are so many things in life, the day to day, do the dishes, the laundry, feed the kids, drive them all over, clean out the litter box, my personal favorite, go to work, work out, fight with your boss, wife, girlfriend, both.

Life is not hard, it is just life, and sometimes it is difficult to think we can do much about any of it, but there are only two alternatives, ignore it, which just makes everything worse, or shuffle off this mortal coil, why rush?

I have said for a long time, and I don’t know where I got it, or if I made it up, but I doubt that, “life is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved.” The only problem with that view of life is that I forget it every day. My biggest hope is that someday, and someday soon, I can find a way to actually live my life as if I believe the phrase. I have a friend, colleague, partner, mentor, that works very hard, has all his life from what I can tell, but continues to enjoy himself every day, or very nearly. He told me on Friday night, when I called and he had just finished playing tennis, was having a beer and about to have some food outside on a patio at some restaurant, “son,” he is from the South, Son” he said, “I keep telling you I need to teach you how to enjoy life.” I agree.

If there is one thing I wish I could teach everyone, based on what I have not been able to do so far on this planet, is do your best to live simply, which seems to reduce the “rain” in each day, and try to enjoy life as much as possible each day, day in and day out. Sounds simple doesn’t it?

Thank you again for getting this far with me.