Random Thoughts from a Restless Mind

Sunday musings…

1) DOMS. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. The CrossFit gift that keeps on giving.

2) Rob Lowe. “Never compare your insides to someone else’s outsides.”

I came across a piece written by Mr. Lowe in Slate Magazine about dropping his first-born off at college. Quite well-written, I might add. I know nothing of Mr. Lowe other than the couple of his works I’ve seen (I do not read tabloids or bios of actors/athletes, etc.). From his article, in which he shares the pain of letting go of that first child and the fear that letting go might mean being forgotten, I get a feeling that he and I would be quite comfortable in one another’s company. The above quote seals it.

There’s a piece of mine out there somewhere in which I say “never compare your dress rehearsal with someone else’s Opening Night,” or something along those lines. Actually, it might have been “don’t compare your practice reel to someone else’s Highlight Reel” now that I think about it. But no matter, pretty similar to Mr. Lowe’s advice to a son having a sudden crisis of confidence wondering if he will measure up to his classmates. It was good advice from me then, and it’s good advice from Mr. Lowe now, both to his son and to each one of us. The courage to fail during the process, and the will to endure the endless behind-the-scenes effort necessary to create a “Highlight Reel”, should be a source of pride, a wellspring of confidence for all of us as we view everyone else’s.

Good on ya, Rob Lowe. First round’s on me.

3) Twain. “I used to remember everything, but now I only remember the things that never happened.” –Mark Twain.

Twain never disappoints, does he? There’s all kinds of meat on that bone. Is he saying that he no longer remembers things that really happened, only those things he imagined at the time, or imagines now? Or is he rather saying that looking back on his life he only remembers those things that SHOULD have happened, but didn’t?

Knowing Twain, my bet is that his answer would be:”yes.”

Memory is a funny thing. Partly accurate reportage, one’s memory is leavened by equal parts wishful thinking and regret. At least according to Twain. Think of your own narrative, the telling of your story. How much is fact, how much is embellishment (never let the facts interfere with a good story!), and how much is what you wish had happened? We were telling stories at dinner the other night, stories we all knew, ones we’d all taken part in creating and ones we’ve told countless times. Each time they are told they get a little better. Does this happen with you? Some of the stuff in our stories probably never really happened, but we remember it just the same.

But Twain also touches on regret in this quote, don’t you think? Things that could have been, or should have been, but for one reason or another, never were. Dangerous ground, that. Regret can turn the urn of happiness into a sieve. In his later years Twain was said to be increasingly bitter. One wonders if his regret fertilized the weeds in the garden of his memory.

Ticking time bomb, or soothing balm over time. Memory serves.

I’ll see you next week.

Posted by bingo at August 17, 2014 7:01 AM