Where Peacocks Dare!: The Good Things in Life and Keeping Your Head When the Wheels Fall Off....

The other day I was having one of those mornings where the wheels fall off before you even get going. I hadn't slept all night, everytime I was about to doze off one of the dogs went nuts, and this kept happening. So I was exhausted already at the start of what was going to be a long day.

She knows what I'm talking about. Then for various reasons, several important players on my Sunday morning Softball team told me at the last minute possible that they weren't going to be there. One of them had some of the equipment I needed, so we were short handed without supplies for games we HAD to win against a 6-0 team no less. And I had to deal with it.... SCREWED.

Upon getting to the field, the wife of one of the guys that did show made a joke that we might lose him too if her water broke. At least I thought it was a joke. Her water broke in the 2nd inning or so. Then, whether it was the lack of sleep, my anxiety, allergies, or all of the above, my entire world started to spin and I was so nautious that I had to take myself out. The whole morning was a complete disaster, and the day was just starting....

Except we managed to win both games. Not only did we win, but there was only one point where we were in danger of losing.

Later that day I had a wedding to go to for another of the guys on the team, but by the time I got home from the games I was completely shot, and sitting down to watch some football made it really difficult to get things back in gear again. Beyond that, formal activities where you have to don the suit and tie aren't my bag; I think I'd do very well if I could spent the rest of my life in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. Weddings are awkward for me, and I only knew three or four people that would be there, so there was every chance that this could be a total trainwreck.....

But my buddy invited me, went to the expense of paying for my plate, and probably a whole lot more just to be allowed to have me there; I'm not exactly the one people readily admit to their family and loved ones they even know, much less want to have around for special events. I couldn't let him down, so I sucked it up, dealt with my crap, and got my ass to the church... er, Temple, on time.

I ended up having a great time!

Somewhere during the middle of the ceremonies I received a text from my buddy who's wife's water broke at the field. His new son was born and everything was looking good. It turned out to be a GREAT day, one of the best I've had in a while. So it just goes to show that, even when things look their worst, it can all turn out so much better than you expected, even special, if you just take a breath, relax and take it easy, and let it all play out in front of you.

"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you; Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, and which is more; you'll be a Man, my son!" - Rudyard Kipling.

Of course, that's paraphrased from the classic poem IF, you should read the entire poem though, so click the link. If you're confused by the pic, Kipling wrote The Junglebook.

While I sat at my buddies wedding, I couldn't help but remember the first time I saw him, I can remember it clear as day and it'll probably be etched in my mind forever. He looked like Topper Harley from Hot Shots, and the name stuck, we've been calling him that ever since. I haven't known him for long, but he's one of the most genuine people I've ever come across, you can see how he feels plain as day written all over his face, and he always seems to surprise you with what he knows or how good he is at something. Its people like Topper that make life worthwhile, and here I was sharing the most important day of his life. He even took the time to yell at me for not taking care of myself better.

It got me to thinking, whether its a wedding or anything else, even just a random party for no reason, we should take the time to celebrate each other more than we do. What else really is there in life?

The wedding showed me one other important thing too, this about myself. I've spent so much time holding on for so long just so that the wheels don't fall off, like I started this piece with, holding on so that I don't make a total ass of myself, which I'm very good at, that I've lost the ability to let go and just be. I'm probably terrified that I don't know what's going to happen, what will come out if I do. People think I'm crazy already, and this is me restrained. What would you see, and what would people think, if that manimal got out of its cage?

Trouble is... that's where all the good stuff is. That's where you're really living life, and what good is life if you're not living it. For too long I haven't been, and now I've forgotten how. There's an entire different level that I can take my game to, but I'll never be able to get there until I'm able to unleash the beast. And I can't help but wonder how many of you are in a similar way.

At least I know now what I'm looking for. If I ever end up getting hitched like my buddy there, its going to be to the person that helps me open the cage. She has to be able to get me to dance. Not just get me to do it, but get me to want to do it. And it strikes me that a lot of people are unhappy because of this very thing... when we all should surround ourselves with nothing but the people and things that break us out of our cages, we instead chase after and get caught by the ones who would put us in it. And that's just no way to live. Who wants to live in a cage?

And as if the stars were in alignment, this morning I saw this....