Blog Everyday in May Challenge

Thanks for sticking with me, at least for two days, as I challenge myself to write every day this month of May. It’s a cold and rainy day here in Prescott. I’m in the public library. Things feel good….

DAY 2: Educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at. Take any approach you’d like (serious, educational, funny, sarcastic) (2013 post)

I’m good at being honest and talking out those honest feelings. (Possibly to a fault. Possibly when I should consider not saying exactly how I feel in that moment. And sometimes this is an amazingly good quality. It’s lead to me have great conversations and to experience interactions that wouldn’t have otherwise happened. And sometimes it’s a tough one to get through in those moments when someone should squirt me with water to get me to juuuuust be quiet.)

In a similar vein, I’m great at living through one big [identity] crisis.

I mean it. I’m good at simply getting through those tough moments, letting myself cry, and feeling the pain.

That’s another way of being honest, at least with myself. I never convince myself I’m happy when I’m not. I’m also very good at being positive…. so the hard moments hit with a strange sort of heaviness.

Those who know me best know that when we get together to chat over a beer, boy, I’ll tell them things they probably don’t want to know. This is only people I trust, mind you. I love to tell a story. I love to hear a story. I’ll ask you about details you might not have ever considered before. (I’m okay with it if you don’t tell me!) The thing I always want to know is the truth…. even when truth is a grey area.

“And I’m waiting for the day I can explain myself to you,

But just because it’s honest, well that doesn’t make it true” – Middle Brother, Wilderness 

I decided to talk about this today because recently, telling the truth sort of backfired on me. It made me consider whether it’s always good to follow your gut, or if it might be better to sit on things for a while. I always go with my gut! It’s another thing I’m tragically good at!

But man oh man jeez louise Lord almighy.

Sometimes people don’t want the truth and sometimes keeping things to ourselves might actually be the high road. That just isn’t something I know the answer to yet. I bet there’s some amazing quote about truth that I should use here…but all I can muster up as an example is this:

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about.” -Rumi

So all I know is this:

I’m going to keep telling the truth. (BUUUUUUUUT!) I’m going to think more and more before I say things out loud. I’m going to remember that a strength is only a good quality when it’s maintained and used for positive actions.

Love,

Lou, who’s looking forward to our next conversation.