Bus Wrecks

I love the way our life path can be so damn good and then SLAM - it's like being hit by a bus. The trick is working out if the goodness is reality or the bus. I vote the goodness.

Sometimes it is a simple error of judgement, life is good so we are just ambling along thinking everyone is heading in the same direction and then...SLAM...we find out we're not. Other times we are so busy looking behind us at what's passed we don't see them coming. Too often we are so busy putting up barriers to keep ourselves safe from the buses that we don't see them coming. Or maybe we sit there quietly throwing rocks at the buses in the hope of keeping them away but instead it pisses the driver off so... SLAM...we bring it on. These errors of judgement and the defensive mechanisms we often use to keep ourselves safe from the buses; these, unintentionally, become the offensive. We're all guilty of it but it's hard to admit it. Having been hit by a number of buses we try to avoid or defend against them. When it's the same driver we begin to avoid or defend against the driver. It's instinct. We don't consciously do it (just as Pavlov's dogs don't consciously salivate at the bell) but we do. It's self-preservation.

And we forget we aren't the only ones who get hurt. We forget the bus drivers get hurt too. They could be one of our family; one of our friends or simply a friend we haven't met yet (a stranger). Yes, some of them may well slam into their victims on purpose - sick bastards - OR...maybe because they felt justifiably provoked. But I can bet your last bus fare home most of them were merely following their own paths only to suddenly find themselves trying to avoid the barriers or dodge the rocks. Their own version of self-preservation.

But why is it we don't see the buses as opportunities instead of disasters waiting to happen? We could get on board and enjoy the ride. We could tuck in beside the driver and enjoy the company for a bit until it's time to find our own way. Or we could just wave as they pass and wish them well. They don't all have to end in carnage, do they?  

Unfortunately, we aren't always taught how to deal with these 'buses,' we look at them in the wrong light, seeing them only as detrimental and missing the potential they offer. And as a result we think the looking behind us at what's passed will help us recognize the bus when we see it. Or the barriers we build will either hide us or protect us. Or the rocks we throw will give them the message we don't want to be hit...again. Whatever the case it doesn't matter how good life gets, too often we make the bus wrecks our reality and spend too much time focussing on defending, attacking, avoiding and dodging instead of looking the bus right between the headlights and waving it down. And then it's a matter of trusting the driver will actually stop. But in reality...what's the alternative? I guess if you can cope with the occasional carnage of a bus wreck in your otherwise happy life path then the barriers or rocks or busy-ness of looking behind are just a small price to pay. Otherwise get out there and get waving.