Love Me Love My Issues

I borrowed the photo from Miss Maggie's blog because I thought it was so existential.

A lot of people whine that their lot in life is because of what had happened to them somewhere along life's path.  "I've got issues!"  Ever hear that one.  Supposedly claiming that one has issues is to excuse piss poor behavior.  Like having issues makes it okay to be an asshole?  Tell that to a cop next time they put the bracelets on you.  "I HAVE ISSUES!  I CAN'T HELP MYSELF!!"  Right buddy, now tuck your head down so we can tuck you safely away in the back of our squad car.  That's about how far any claim that your issues made your break the law.

Do you have issues?  We all have to some extent.  Take me for example. Every shit ass thing that happened to me in my life had some influence on my life but in the end I made up my mind to be . . . to become . .. who I am today.  And whatever issues I have played some part but I didn't let them get in the way . . .

This whole where I ended up deal was planned out.  Every detail.  No kidding.  I did.  Starting at about 8 or 9 years old I lay awake at night . . . on how I would never live my life and where I was going.  Step by step.

Military.

College.

Job.

Redhaired wife.  Great marriage.

Save money and invest it.

Do lots of stuff (travel, recreation)

Live well.

You get the picture. 

Sure, there were forks in the road where I got forked.  All minor interruptions and irritations.  Like taking a road trip from San Francisco to New York there's gonna be detours.  And that's what they were.  Still got to New York.  Just took a bit longer.

This is not to say that a life lived is not a life unscathed because it was.  Sure, there are issues.  You've got them, I've got 'em.  Do they interfer with life.  Not so much . . . life is about adjustment and if you can't adjust you're up a creek without a paddle.  Life will be miserable.   When it's that time of the month and you're on the rag it doesn't do any good to trash the house, shoot holes in the roof, get drunk and drive over a cliff in a foggy stupor.  Get's you know where.  So you adjust.  Grin and bare it.

Love me, love my issues.  Anyone around me knows this.  This means that in return their issues need to be understood and that I need to love them back in return (while I grit my teeth, damn it!).

 A squeaky wheel sometimes gets oiled.  If it keeps squeaking it's replaced and sent to the junkyard.  No one likes a wheel that can't be fixed.   

Don't end up in the junkyard of life just because your issues got the best of you.