Sunday, November 16, 2008

Between a rock and a hard place

What do you do when itty-bitty problems you've become accustomed to - to the extent they're normal parts of your everyday life and hence, not "problems" in the true sense anymore - seem suddenly to take on gargantuan proportions and threaten to overwhelm and flatten you? It reminds me of Sisyphus, except that my version has the boulder crushing him as it rolls back down the underworldly hill. And then he has to roll the rock back up the hill and endure the same damn thing all over again. For eternity.

So what do you do when you feel the pebbles being thrown or tossed your way are as heavy as rocks? And it feels like it's being done to you forever?

Why, you wallow in your misery, of course. Like a pig cavorting in the mud just before its first and last trip to the slaughterhouse. You let the mud and the blackness consume your consciousness, you rant and rave and oink out the equivalent of "FUCK IT ALL!!!!" at the top of your voice, with your nose and eyes all red. (If you're the type of person who looks glorious at the heights of rage or the depths of despair, screw you. Other people look damn ugly when they're in those situations, but that's ok. They're feeling ugly anyway.) And then you drink yourself senseless or run circles around the cows or indulge in the 30-minute orgasms that pigs are said to have.

And then you get over it.

Because you realize that your problems - overwhelming as they seem to be - don't hold a candle to the people and things you have in your life. That these people don't mind if you wallow in the pigsty every now and then to scream obscenities; in fact, they'll accompany you to it, knowing it'll do you good. Then they'll help clean you up and give you a cold beer or a hot cup of coffee.

And then you realize just how lucky you are: that you're in full command of your senses, that you can appreciate the smell of a new day, hear the laughter of a child, cry at maudlin sentiments. That you have people to love and who love you, that you can help other people get through the day, that you're lucky just to even be alive at this moment.

For all its blackness, life is precious and beautiful. And you know that after the darkness, no matter how long it seems to last, will come a peaceful and hopeful dawn.


Sisyphus and pigs be damned. Oh, wait. The former IS already damned, but let's not curse the latter. They do find happiness in their own way. (30 minutes? I'll be damned!)

19 comments:

Ian said...

Hey, I'm all over the 30 minute orgasms. Talk about great aspirations!

I hope you've gotten through your own misery. :)

Lizza said...

A noble aspiration, Ian! Share the tantric secrets.

Misery comes and goes. Meh.

Bud Weiser, WTIT said...

Life is a bitch, isn't it? We are all overwhelmed at times. I think coffee, beer and 30 minute big O's might be the right approach.

A very cryptic, yet interesting post...

Lizza said...

Thanks, Bud. But do 30-minute O's even exist? Though I've heard Tantric practitioners experience it for even longer periods.

Oh, well. Coffee and beer will suffice for now. Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you figured it out - you just experience it as it occurs, all the sorrow and rage and so on, and then yourself be lifted back out.

(I'm skeptical about the 30 minute orgasm thing - I raised pigs as a kid and brought in stud boars to mate with the brood sow when it was time for her to get pregnant, and the whole thing was pretty business-like. I looked on-line and found plenty of instances of people asserting it as truth, but not a single scientific reference to back it up.)

Daddy Papersurfer said...

Tantric sex is like waiting for a plumber to turn up - you stay in all day and nobody comes .......

....... I suppose this is the wrong time to talk about my love of bacon sandwiches .........

Travis Cody said...

Seems the least nature can do...grant pigs that 30 minute orgasm in exchange for bacon.

Lizza said...

Citizen: Yep, I'm a firm believer in not keeping it all bottled up. The explosion could get nasty.

Maybe the Mythbusters can do a segment on pig orgasms!

DaddyP: I love bacon too! Good idea to make one while waiting for the plumber.

Travis: Not to mention pork chops.

Terra Shield said...

I'm sorry about whatever it is that is bugging you. Hope the sun shines through soon enough.. :)

Lizza said...

Thanks, Terra. I'm out of the doldrums now. :-)

Woozie said...

30 minutes? Damn, the best I've ever managed is 30 seconds. I feel inadequate.

Mimi Lenox said...

Lizza - I am going through a similar kind of thing. I totally understand your post. Be well and I'm here if you need me.

Sidney said...

Well I really hope those pigs have a good time before they are brought to the slaughterhouse.

30 minutes... now I see Sisyphus in a new light.

Hmmm... let me stick to the flowers and the wine...

Lizza said...

Woozie: How the hell do you time your own orgasms?

Mimi: Thank you, my dear. Likewise, I'm only an email away from you.

Sidney: Your preferences are duly noted. ;-)

Photo Cache said...

Those beerless nights always produce those scintillating posts, arent they Lizza?

BTW, thanks for the shout out on the previous post.

Kiyotoe said...

I wonder if a high pork consumption can help Ian reach that 30 minute aspiration?

As deep and eloquent as ever "Lovely"

;-)

Anonymous said...

bring on the fried pork chitlins

:-)

Lizza said...

Photo: My self perceives itself to be more scintillating when there's beer involved. Such is the power of alcohol. :-)

You're welcome! Thank YOU for the gorgeous photos.

Kiyotoe!!!!!!: How have you been? So good to see you here again.

Nursemyra: And the coronary!

Eastcoastdweller said...

It's all about perspective.