I know that we live in incredibly divisive times, and it is taking a toll on all of us.
Recent shocking events have turned family members against each other, turned friends into enemies and have people seriously questioning reality.
I get it, as I have seen the damage caused by this firsthand. But I am here to tell you that you can get past this, that you can heal the wounds and move on.
It just starts by admitting this simple truth: The new Wendy’s crispy chicken sandwich is not nearly as good as the one from Popeyes. There, I said it. I am not sure if you feel better, but I know I do.
Look, I know that was not the topic you thought I was going to broach. I know where your brain was going, and I understand. We are stuck in a hurricane of negativity these days, and a mixture of disgust, anger and sadness are never far from the surface.
But every now and then we need to take a break from that and consider whether we are too old to build a blanket fort in our living rooms. Admit it, when you were a kid, you gathered all the blankets you could find, draped them over furniture, anchored weak spots with books (remember those?) and enjoyed hours of solitude with your friends or pets.
I loved making blanket forts and had some pretty elaborate ones. I slept in one I made in my small childhood bedroom for a couple of weeks once, before my mom performed a little demolition on it. It was a sweet two room place, with a Flintstones blanket separating the “living room” from the sleeping area.
I was about ready to start charging my stuffed animals rent.
Those were certainly simpler times. No yelling, no getting banned from social media – actually, no social media at all. But we did have to fight for the phone – the one shared by the entire family. Now THAT is something to riot about.
I could let current events rule and ruin my life, and it would be easy to succumb to the negativity. Instead, I tend to obsess over which show I am going to binge watch next. After a day of work, my wife and I enjoy relaxing to a good show. The problem is always what’s next?
We have done all of the ones you would expect – “Breaking Bad,” “The Walking Dead,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “The Sopranos,” ‘Fargo.” Seriously, the list goes on and on.
Eventually, you find yourself after dinner sitting on the couch wondering what in the world you are going to watch. It’s not like we can go out with friends – thank you, COVID! Just thinking about those dark moments between ending one great show and starting another makes me shudder.
Yes, I am doing my best to give you a few moments of distraction. I could write 1,000 words on what I think of the current climate in the country, but that wouldn’t do anyone any good. And I put myself at the top of that list. I don’t need it, honestly.
So instead, I will worry about things like people not using their blinkers, that we have seen very little sun the last couple of weeks, the fact that I broke a belt loop on my favorite jeans last week and that while I am letting my hair grow it is in a stage that makes me want to break every mirror in the house.
So yeah, there’s a lot on my mind.
