Various

I love definitions. It helps to define things into what is and what isn’t. I realize that the world is really shades of gray but every one loves to try to make things black and white. That way we can label things for easy identification and satisfy our desire to prejudge. It makes life so much easier when we have to just look at something and already “know” what to expect. Of course, we all know that what you see, is not usually what you get.

For some reason, I had the word “various” pop into my head this morning and it has been playing dodge ball from one neuron to the other. Merriam-Webster defines various as follows:

1 : of differing kinds : dissimilar in nature or form :
Unlike animals as various as the jaguar and the sloth
2 : having a number of different aspects or characteristics
a various place a various talent
3 : of an indefinite number greater than one

Dictionary .com defines various in this way:

1 : Of diverse kinds: for various reasons.
2 : Unlike, different
3 : Being more than one; several

Most people already know the definition of various. It is a rather common word but it really has two definitions. One is diverse, unlike or different. The other is an indefinite number greater than one. It is like the box of chocolates that Forrest Gump is taking to Jenny. There are various filling in the chocolate and you never know what your gonna get.

Life is full of little variouses. How to turn an adjective into a known by making it plural. We have tried to find ways to ensure that these variouses do not create life altering events. It is great when you have a plan and life goes as you expect is should. We never expect the life altering events to occur but there is always the death in the family or the loss of a job. It could be a house fire or an earthquake. Is there any way to adequately plan for those events? Sure there is life or home insurance to cover the financial burden imposed by such a loss, but there is no silver bullet ready to remove the mental damage of life’s little variouses. How we respond to the changes in life is what defines us. If we collapse under the weight of the stone, it becomes a greater struggle to get up again. It creates the illusion of failure which if not altered becomes a self fulfilling destiny. If we pull ourselves together and continue forward, finding a new or different path to follow, we allow ourselves to heal and grow instead of letting life flow around us as we’re “dragged down by the stone.” Thanks Pink.

Geena Davis plays an assassin in the move The Long Kiss Goodnight. She tells her daughter after an ice skating fall the “life is pain, get used to it.” Well, life is pain and happiness and all the other variouses that we live through on a daily basis. Don’t focus on the pain, it may sustain you but you don’t go anywhere.

Icool

Cobb