Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Oh Well



I have made a discovery that is going to change your life! That’s right. I would like to share with you, my blog reader, two words that will make your existence on Planet Earth so much more peaceful than you could ever imagine.

Are you hooked? I am not going to sell you Snake Oil or some other kind of miracle drug. I am just going to present you will two simple words that, if used properly, can make every day’s worries fly away like a feather in the wind. (Picture the end of Forrest Gump.)

So here they are: “Oh well.” That’s it. “Oh, well.” You can use the comma and pause between oh and well or not. Punctuation, emotional tone and emphasis are strictly user driven. But let me explain the uses and benefits of “Oh, well.”

If you happen to be in a heat wave, as many of us in the US of A are, and you don’t have air conditioning in your house, you may be tempted to complain and even rant through the sweat-induced fog covering your eyes. And say that last night your bedroom’s fan, (an enormous monstrosity of a fan because your bedroom is the hottest place in the house – imagine an Indian sweat lodge within a condo,) broke at 4 a.m. and your husband and you had to sleep in your living room with all the windows open. You may be tempted to have a bit of an attitude. But you don’t need to get all riled up and make it worse. Oh no. Just say the following: “I don’t have air conditioning and it is 101 degrees outside. I don’t have air conditioning and my high powered fan broke. Oh, well.”

Did you see that? Such power. Those words can turn your entire world around. Acceptance floods your soul and somehow your sweat dries up. Well, sorta.

What if your car’s radiator happens to blow up? I mean, completely blow up. You could find yourself uttering words your mama told you never to utter. You could find yourself blaming the person who sold you the car years ago. OR, you could use the two words that have power to change attitudes. “My car’s radiator just blew up. Oh well.” (No comma or pause there.)

Hey, how about if you happen to have a nine-year-old who has been with you all summer for almost 24 hours a day non-stop? Say you love the precious boy with all your heart but his face is not as welcome into your happy soul as it used to be. Like when he was in school part of the day. And say that wonderful little son of your heart grows a little attitude of familiarity with you and starts to treat you like a friend and not a mom. Say, you start having visions of putting a lock on the outside of his bedroom door. Another day dream is the one where he goes to visit a friend and the friend’s mom calls and says, “We love your son so much. Can he just stay here until the end of the summer?”

You don’t have to battle your guilt as you start putting X’s on the calendar counting down to the first day of school as if it was your last day of prison. You don’t have to.
Just look at the boy and sum up those two words, “Oh well.”

Not that these are my problems. Oh no. Well, actually. I have deleted names to protect the innocent…or guilty.

“Oh well” is not only an attempt to accept the things you can’t change, it is also a prayer. Maybe God is doing something within me that needs to be done. And the only way for Him to do it is through a massive heat wave with a huge fan breakdown, a dark explosion of radiator gas, and a sweaty, goofy little boy who has made button-pushing his favorite summer sport.

What can I say to the Creator of the Universe’s schemes to make me what He wants?

Oh well.

7 comments:

Julie said...

I have to release myself from the responsibility of making everyone happy and well behaved. I have to remind myself that all of these things are God's problems, and that all I have to do is trust Him and love them. I struggle daily to not get sucked into the teenage drama that saturates our house. And when I do give it to God, I feel such a burden and ability to love. The fan and car, I guess you just have to say God knows how He is gonna fix that problem. Oh well is great.

Megan DiMaria said...

Well, aren't you the blessed soul?

The Lord is making a special project for you to grow you and give you all kinds of insight to use in your writing. Lucky you.

A prisoner of hope,
Megan

Jan Parrish said...

Sounds like it's time for your son to go see a relative who lives out of town?

Two words: Panara Bread

Oh well, I'm praying for you.

cj marley said...

With regard to Noah, I am compelled to say it, Rob. Pay back is not for sissies . . . .

:O)

John Iobst said...

Funny how Oh, Well can sould a lot like Hell No at 4:00am when the fan dies.

Kay Day said...

ha ha ha! John's comment. Do we see the real truth now?

Of course we know that Oh well is not always the first and natural reaction. It has to be cultivated. But once it comes into power, it is very freeing!

This post reminds me of a story you should remind me to tell you.

Loretta Oakes said...

Robbie:

Can my three kids go with Noah to that out of town relative's house?