Erma Bombeck’s Cope Book – Being Average & Coping
I finished reading Aunt Erma’s Cope Book yesterday. For a good part, I thought it was a whole lot more cribby than her usual self but entertaining nevertheless. This lady certainly hit fame and creative expression through cribbing. But I loved the last chapter. Something she said about depression not being permissible in today’s world, touched a memory of someone who said the same thing so long ago.
Wisdom comes from strange sources. We don’t allow ourselves the luxury of being sad, do we? It is okay to be ruthless, it’s fine to be defensive, perfectly understandable to be suicidally depressed, maniacally ambitious. But sadness…that’s so mundane. No room for such insipidity in our brilliant, glamourous, bright and glitzy lives. No space for pale moonlight on these bright sunny days and murderous nights.
Something else occurred to me…I waste so much of my equilibrium trying, trying, trying to be better, more. I’ve been feeling strained over not finding the time to blog and stagnating when I do. But I just realised that I don’t need to be perfect. I’ve been feeling bad because I wondered where I was going with my dreams if I wasn’t improving, evolving, and growing in my writing.
Simple thought: I write. I make money. I don’t have to do both together. So much for big dreams of professional writing….why indeed? I get as much satisfaction from my posts as I can hope to. And without the dirty politics that is part of any profession, without rivalry, without deadlines, without any of that muck.
What’s more, I don’t have to be anything or anyone at all. I can be just a blogger, incessantly cribbing, occasionally bursting into verse, beautifying little scraps of my life and sharing them with strangers. It is also possible to be a management professional running through a day paying more attention to how straight the sales line is than to my posture and health. I don’t have to be brilliant at either. Doing just about alright….is alright.
Everyone who has read and liked Erma Bombeck will testify to how wonderful even an ordinary life can be made to seem. Passion is overrated. And serenity under-valued.
Dear Ideasmith,
First of all, LOVED your word for comments: Idea-filings! Lol.
Super post. Love your blog. Excellent writing.
The greatest thing u can do for urself is to take charge of ur destiny and responsibility 4 ur actions..the realization tht one does’nt need to have all the answers is perhaps tru enlightenment…
The day i decided to let go was the day I lost a mountain frm my shoulders (though an island has come up arnd my waist ).We spend our lives chasing shadows….Life is devoted to the accumulation of material(better jobs,bigger cars,plusher houses)..In my case I refused a excellent job offer frm a top company simply i didnt get the right vibes frm the bosses evn though they were very polite…For some ‘vibes’ may not be even a consideration…Our idea of professional success is ur title/salary ..No one cares tht the job has given u ulcers n angina..Probably they would b viewed as a sign of responsibilities u have professionally
“What is this life if, full of care” etc. Sometimes I believe that.
And sometimes I want results.
Very long time since I read an Erma Bombeck. Wish I could borrow it off you.
J.A.P.
I disagree. You should strive to achieve what you wish for. Put in balanced efforts, and be satisfied with the outcome for the present, and focus on improving on your previous efforts towards achieving your whim/goal. In your course of action, you might realize that your goal has moved, but that’s life. And you wouldn’t want it any other way! It’s the only way you’ll be content.
i really liked this post.
from beginning to end.
Didnt agree with everything, but i still really liked it.
This post is precious. This post is beautiful. This post is perfect
i know how you feel.
Passion is over-rated. And serenity under-valued.
so true
Read Fountain Head by Ayn Rand?? Good book
Sensible
I wish there was something ordinary about me or my life but then I hear Brahma snickering at me from the couch. Vishnu slapping Mahesh on the back while sipping a martini at the bar and saying “Boy we really messed this one up…for its own good though”
We should just stop blamimg ourselves… that shud help!