It has not been my week these past two weeks.
I sent my car to the shop last Monday and it’s been in said shop since then. My gaming computer had its hard drive AND memory fried last Friday. I have a major exam coming up on Tuesday on the heels of several homework assignments which I received grades of less than stellar due to aforementioned events. And today, I got loaned a car on Wednesday by a nice old man and this afternoon, on my way out to take it out to dinner, I saw it parked at a near 60 degree angle to the curb. Someone had come around the corner in my apartment complex and simply blasted it sideways, probably with a trailer. We had to drive out to the police department at 7pm and file a report. Problems keep coming up, one after the other.
What can you do in situations like this? Part of me grimly accepts the reality that, sometimes, you just get crapped on. Part of me frowns at the sky with my hands tossed up and thinks, “Really, asshole?” And still some other part of me wants to turn on some uplifting music and try to see the sunny side.
Needless optimism is a poor trait to have. It prevents you from seeing the reality of situations where there is no optimistic side. It’s important to understand negativity and confront and accept it, rather than ignore it, because in my mind, that’s where the best optimism comes from. You accept what isn’t changeable and try to see the good in what you have. Despite all the crap I’m handling this week, I’ve still got an apartment. I have money in savings, friends, a job, a place to sleep, and food in my fridge. Getting said fridge restocked is a little more of a nuisance, but it’s not an insurmountable wall. I live very close to plenty of amenities. I could even walk to work if I wanted to. I can take Lyft or Uber anywhere I want if I have to get there. I have a working laptop, still. I can shower and have things delivered right to my door. It’s these things that are keeping my chin up in times like this.
Some of these difficulties seem trivial upon inspection. Or, perhaps, first world problems. Why bother whining about not having a car or having your parked car get whacked while you’re at home and the person leaves no insurance or contact? Don’t you know people are dying of syphilis? I think these thoughts are pretty normal. You know we have it good here in my corner of the world but elsewhere things are grim. I don’t think, though, that just because someone else has it bad that it precludes you from acknowledging when you’re suffering as well. It may not be to the same degree as the other guy, thank God, but it’s still frustrating. And what can you do? Not acknowledge it?
These past two weeks have been downright sucky. None of my problems are unfixable, but compounded, they’ve had me in a pretty depressed mood. But I’m trying to keep my head up. I think in situations like these it’s about all you can do.
Sam Knight, Author 