Different Worlds

There is a saying that opposites attract. Like the opposing ends of a magnet drawn onto each other.

But there is also the belief that people need to match in order to suit each other, to be able to communicate on the same level and see things in the same perspective.

That is not necessarily true.

There is a reason why The Lady and The Tramp worked out despite being nothing alike. Being from different backgrounds and levels, they found that they completed each other. Because having grown up differently, with other kinds of experiences and views on life, that “other”, the person so astoundingly opposite to you – as it seems – has an entirely inverse perspective. One that does not necessarily contradict yours, but rather, comes to complete it.

It would be truly boring if we all had the same beliefs, opinions and views on life. There would be nothing to push us to grow, to learn, to improve, to become better at life itself. There would be nothing to show us another side to reality and to dreams.

We need that ‘different’ in our lives because it is what makes us more unique.

And sometimes, it is through that contrast that we find something that completes us.

 

Also part of Daily Prompt: Magnet

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The depth of forever

The message said simply “look beyond what you see”.

He looked to the left, to the right, in front, at the back, sideways, even upside down, but he couldn’t see anything. He began to think it was a trick. Or a prank. He grew tired and, instead, persuaded himself that there was nothing there. But, somehow, he couldn’t leave without discovering something. His godmother wouldn’t leave things so mysterious. There must have been something.

The boy stood there almost an entire afternoon, staring at the horizon and beyond, filling his mind with fantasies of what could have been.

But at that very moment when the sun began to fade, the sky turned orange. It separated the horizon into blue, caramel and yellow, playing with the few clouds that accompanied the disappearing light.

His entire body shivered, not because it was cold, but because of awe and amazement.

He stared at the light quickly fading, with the colours changing faster than you could catch your eyes blinking. It was a few moments in which he was lost, forgetting everything and everyone else and just staring into the infinity of a few minutes that seemed forever.

Sometimes forever is just a few seconds, she had told him.

He had finally understood.

The rain of fate

©Ted Strutz

They had planned this trip for weeks and they were determined not to allow the weather to change anything. They had packed everything and filled up the car, persuading themselves that they would have the time of their lives.

The rain evolved from tiny drops to thunder and hail.

They were told to turn their lights on and be extra careful at the harbour, particularly when entering the ship.

The sea itself became restless.

“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea?” Matilda already began to worry. Perhaps destiny did not want them on that ship.

“It’ll be fine,” he replied.

 

Also part of Friday Fictioneers

The cat on the pier

Hannah was surprised to see it there. It appeared silently right next to her. She didn’t even realise it came. But they always seemed to appear when needed the most. It was usually a dog that care around bouncing all happily without a care in the world. That she expected. They always had a way of cheering you up. Just by looking at them and the way they run around wagging their little tails. Some even look like they’re laughing. It was just impossible to stay mad or upset at the sight of them.

But this, this was strange.

The little cat sat there, straight up, tail wrapped around its front legs. It was fluffy white and seemed indifferent to everything that was going on around it. People tried to call it, but it listened to none.

Then it turned its little head, its small, round, golden eyes reflecting the setting sun’s rays. And it met her gaze. Hannah was dumbfounded. She couldn’t believe it was ever possible to feel such serenity through a simple gaze, and indeed, from a four-footed creature. The cat tilted its head sideways as it continued to stare into Hannah’s eyes.

Hannah took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the tears that were still dripping from her eyes. The cat slowly got up and moved towards her, arching its back and beginning to purr. Once close to Hannah it began to brush against her, asking for some patting. Hannah touched its head with the tip of her fingers. With a single move it rotated its head around her hand and moved ever closer, its purr now reverberating on Hannah’s body. It was soothing. The cat managed to divert all of her attention on it that she soon forgot the reason she was so upset.

They sat there for a while, the cat purring at her side, and Hannah patting it, relaxed and calm. They watched the sun set into the sea, and then the cat suddenly got up, stretched and disappeared, as silently and abruptly as it had arrived.

The disorder of having everything in order

There is a thing with overthinkers – they usually feel everything too intensely too. And worse – perhaps – of all, they need everything to be in order. They are people who like to have a programme and as much as possible stick to it. They need to know how they want their day to pan out, so that they can try to do as many of those things they can. They are the people who fill their desks with post-its and when they strike out one task add another two.

But these are also the people who can’t stand the uncertainty of not knowing. Of not having a schedule and of being victim to a “wait and see” mentality. They might even panic in the face of this ambiguity.

They are people who usually suffer from an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) of needing to have an order in their life for calm to prevail.

At the same time, these are those who have the deepest emotions. The ones who tear up from a line in a movie, from a surprise of a loved one, from a simple thank you for something they did well. In fact, this latter is what touches them the most – the demonstration of acknowledgement, appreciation and gratification that they are, they do, and they try, at the best of their abilities. It’s nice to tell those that matter that they do, and to these specific people, sometimes the simplest of words may mean the world.

Overthinkers may seem insane, but the world was never changed by sanity.

Destruction in the dark

©Dale Rogerson

They had gone to the exotic island looking for calm, relaxation and an escape from everything. Instead, what they found there was far from it.

As the full moon rose behind the clouds, sirens were heard – police, firebrigades, ambulances, you couldn’t tell.

Natives said they never before had seen such a destruction. A fire raging in the centre of town, people screaming, panicking, not knowing what to do. Viewing the commotion alone was enough to make you agitated, even if you were just a bystander.

For days, stories of witnesses, of survivors, of victims’ relatives would haunt everyone’s TV screen.

 

Also part of Friday Fictioneers

 

Maintaining excitement in a habit

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”, said Aristotle. As such, the quality of the life we live is found in something we do routinely. Without thinking, without pondering too much over it.

Consider this: the majority of the things we do every day is simply habit: the ‘good morning’ and ‘good evening’ greetings we exchange; checking the mailbox when we leave/enter our house; even checking-in on social media or taking a daily selfie. They are all things we do often unconsciously. Things that we find natural.

Entrepreneur Jim Rohn said that “motivation is what gets you going. Habit is what keeps you there”. Having a healthy breakfast; working out often; reading a book once in a while; devoting time to rest and de-stress – they are all things we include in our lives after we do them over and over again.

But the one thing about a habit is that often – even the things we say – occur so automatically they sometimes lose their very essence. We need to ensure that we still mean what we say, no matter how many times we utter it; that we are still as excited as the first time we go on a run; that the breakfast we eat every day is as tasty as the first time we had it. If we can keep that excitement, enthusiasm and enthrallment alive, we have found the road to happiness. Even if staying on that road has become a habit.

Searching for that lost…thing

When your personal trainer tells you “good job” you’re motivated to last a little longer, to try a little harder, to take your limits a bit further.

We all need that encouragement. It’s a boost to reach further than you think you can.

But, similarly, we all need the acknowledgement of a job well done. A recognition of your efforts, be it in the form of a verbal gratification, a written thank you or a monetary compensation.

We need the demonstration of feelings to be satisfied with our own selves. Because just as we often cannot hide what emotion is overwhelming us, in the same context, we would like to be shown that we are admired, sympathized, liked, loved, or even despised. But we want to be clear of what we have to face.

Once in a while, it happens to all of us, though. Losing your motivation or will to do anything creative. And no matter where you search for it, one thing is certain: you’ll never find it unless it comes from within you. Unless you start to do something that’s yours, that expresses you and fulfills you.

Remember, you only fail when you stop trying.

Un-wilting

©MCD

The rose had entered her home on an anniversary. She was delighted because she didn’t expect he would remember, or more, that he would bring her something to celebrate. Instead, he surprised her with a beautiful crimson rose and a romantic dinner at a beachside restaurant.

Although every girl loves flowers, there is the downside that they don’t last too long. And unless you allow them to dry up so you can keep them a while longer to remind you of a lovely memory, most flowers simply wilt away after a few days. If you’re lucky, they may last a couple of weeks. But that’s pretty much it.

But this rose was different.

Five months later it was still there. Standing firm and tall in its square glass vase, not having dropped a single petal. The only thing that changed was that it’s colour had become darker.

She was amazed at how it persisted. And she boasted about it to her friends, secretly hinting that it was a sign of a strong and loving relationship.

He was happy to see her eyes glow every time she looked at the un-wilted rose. But he reassured her it did not mean that others wouldn’t follow. It was just that where they come with deep emotion, they survive for longer.

That’s usually the case with most things. When you take care of them they endure.

The off-course bus

It arrived on time and appeared just like any other of its type. It had four double doors symmetrically situated across one end, large windows, and an advertisement painted across both sides. From its exterior, it seemed like a normal bus. Even inside, it did not differ from others – it had enough space for passengers to be seated or standing and it was in great condition. Almost new. But there was something that made this bus special. You couldn’t tell at first. And most of all, you never expected what would come.

You would stop the bus at the stop and get on, maybe even find a seat. You presumed it would take you to your destination – the city centre – relatively quickly. But half way there, the bus would suddenly change course. If you were too distracted in your own thoughts it would take you a while to realise you were off course. Others would acknowledge it as soon as the bus took a “wrong” turn. Some passengers would react. Others would stress that they would be late for their appointments. Some others would simply remain silent, waiting to see what would happen. The driver would not respond to any.

After a while, you would realise the bus was not going to the city centre. The passengers that reacted intensely would soon tire and be quiet. And as the bus took an unknown route, almost all passengers would begin to plan scenarios in their head of where they would end up. These ranged from a serial killer bus driver that would throw them off a cliff, to a surprise destination where a millionaire would host a party to advertise a new acquisition. You would conjure in your head whatever you wanted, but you would be well aware that expectation was always the root of all disappointment. So you would try and pretend that you didn’t care where the bus was going.

After a long while, the bus would return to its course and, taking double time, would end up at the city centre, where it was supposed to be going in the first place. But, during that route, all passengers would have calmed down and, lost in their thoughts, dreams and mental to-do-lists, would not realise they had arrived. That was the point of this bus – to make you understand that what matters most is the route and how you get to your destination, not so much your final point of arrival.