“It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.” -Anonymous
"All good things come to an end." -Psalm 119:96
"If it seems too good to be true, it is." -Common proverb
"Everything comes to him who waits." -Another common proverb
And finally, “The one you love and the one who loves you are never, ever the same person.” -Chuck Palahniuk
These quotes may or may not be familiar to you, but either way they make an impact on how you think. Am I right? How often do you go to Google to look up inspirational quotes for one reason or another, and then consequently feel inspired? It's like magic: Someone creates a catchy five-word phrase and it then gets used as often as toilet paper. Not only that, but the more often it's used, the stronger it becomes. Why? Who gives these words their power? Why are they more influential than most laws in our society?
Let's take a step back for a second and really look at the quotes I posted. The two common proverbs (and the Bible quote) are probably the only ones you guys have heard numerous times. My personal take on these sayings is one of disbelief; first of all, if it seems too good to be true, maybe it really is just that good and your definition of "truth" needs to be changed. Secondly, if everything came to those who waited, nobody would have anything. I get the concept, "patience is a virtue," blah blah blah. But really: Everything comes to those who go after what they want. Everything comes to those who have goals and have the courage to go after them. How many people do you know that have wanted something and said "I think I'm just gonna wait to see if I get it..." ? I guarantee they never got what they wanted by waiting around for it to land on their doorstep. Unless they had it priority shipped.
Now, how about that Bible quote? Nothing against the Bible, but the phrase "All good things come to an end" isn't just depressing but also misleading. Okay, just to clarify, the actual Bible quote states "All things come to an end," which is absolutely true. The general public added in the "good" part just to make it a stronger quotation. Stronger, yes. Pessimistic, absolutely. Factual, absolutely not. This quote sends the message that if you have something good, don't get used to it because it'll be gone soon enough. Sorry, but I choose to live my life in a way that appreciates all things good and bad, and even the bad things can be looked at in a good light. Therefore, for me, no good things come to an end. I have all the "good" in the world. Lucky me, right?
Onto the longer, less famous quotes. The first one up there suggests that the world we live in, the reality we're submersed in, is nothing to be happy about. When I say "happy" I'm referring to the "delusion" in the quotation. Please. The world you live in is exactly what you make of it, however deluded or giddy or terrible or fantastic you want it to be. There's no bottom line here. People say "reality sucks" or "welcome to the real world" like life is made for failure and impossibilities. Ugh.
The last quote makes me pretty angry. Who are you, Chuck Palahniuk, to say that love doesn't really exist or last? I thought I was a cynic but this takes it to the next level. Do people not fall in love? Do we not have successful and lengthy relationships with those who love us back? Sure, sometimes the answer is "yes" and often times the answer may be "no." Love in its purest form is hard to come by, of course. And some people may always be chasing after those who don't have mutual feelings, but that doesn't mean this quote is love's law. Time to get over it, Chuck, because love isn't about the chase.
My point is, really read and think about what you're believing in. It all depends on your take on the quote, but try to make it a positive perspective. And just because someone says "you know what they say...", don't buy into it. "They" can't tell you what to do. Actually, no one can. Not even my blogs. Catchphrases that have a nice ring to them are about as valuable as gold-plated jewelry: Fun to look at for a second, but all in all, they're just cheap and fake. Do what you want, live your life by your own rules, and love every second of it.
Smile today,
Shannon
