Today I thought I’d wander from the enticing journey of the dead pets in my life to talk about something a little closer to today…
I suffer from depression and have been diagnosed bi-polar, A.D.D., O.C.D., and spent the last 15 or so years on multiple versions of medications supposedly meant to “stabilize” me. This type of life tends to be more of the roller coaster type and much less of the merry-go-round version of steadily walking through a peaceful reality. Along the way I am constantly seeking help from family, friends, strangers, and specialists almost every day as I face the challenge of trying to fit in and carve a life for myself and those I love.
No matter what place I am in or stage of life, there has always been one constant…self-help books. There is always a new way to approach my problems and there is always a best-selling, hardcover, published version of how I could or should live my life better in a way that would help all my concerns disappear. Mom always has Oprah’s latest sent to me by amazon within minutes of the ending of Oprah’s latest life-affirming episode. Each friend can always supply me with the book that changed everything for them. In short, there will always be one more book that apparently holds the secret (no pun intended) to finding the bliss, teaching me my unique ability, or just plain guidance to a happy and successful life…
But…yes, there’s always a but…
After all my reading and research I have discovered that the secret to happiness and success is to write a book about the secret of happiness and success. The one common factor in all these books is a successful author that has convinced the publishing world that they have all the answers to life’s many questions. I too would feel in control if I had copious amounts of money coming in from my latest manuscript on how collecting shiny rocks and praying to solar systems had helped me find happiness and inner peace along my journey towards death…
Sure, I am a little bitter that while my life still careens out of control my book shelves are filled with all the answers and secrets that others have decided will solve the larger issues of the collective consciousness.
Who the hell has the right to say its all small stuff? Nothing small about cancer. And maybe he is into you but just can’t communicate it as well as you’d like… And as far as secrets are concerned, I have truly believed in a lot of things but that never guaranteed any specific outcome…
Th point is, if you really want to change your life I’m thinking there is no book, pamphlet, or show that can do it for you without your own innate knowledge of what you need to change and what you need to nurture in yourself in order to live the life you’ve dreamed of…and even with that information comes no guarantee of a happy life.
Perhaps its time for me to write The Realist’s Guide To Earthly Survival with such golden rules as #3-lower your expectations, #6-you’re not as cute as you think you are, and my personal favorite # 9-money can’t buy happiness but it will certainly help to entertain you when killing yourself isn’t an option…
It may not make Oprah’s book club but that doesn’t mean it can’t assist those of us trapped in a mediocrity. And I have a feeling I’m not the only one…
Eric said,
June 6, 2008 @ 12:30 am
Great post!
Life is a journey and there are no easy answers. People have to learn a lot of it for themselves. They have to figure out for themselves what works and what doesn’t, but not all of life is a lone journey. People can help each other along the way.
I wish you luck and success (and happiness
)