A Tiffany Epiphany: Don't Jump!

So, you’ve discovered your honest dreams, and you’re all kinds of energized and ready to make them a reality when your actual reality smacks you in the face with some big ole’ ugly obstacle...what do you do? How do keep from getting discouraged?

...cricket...cricket...................tumbleweed...

I have no fucking idea. But luckily, I have books written by people who do.

“I’m reading don’t kill myself books.”

“I thought that you said the book wasn’t yours.”

“Don’t worry about the book. It isn’t mine. But I glanced at it.”

I’m breaching this topic because I recently discovered my honest dreams (as I mentioned last post) and then proceeded to start the worst job I have ever had in my entire life. To put that in perspective, I’ve worked in telemarketing; I once had a guy, call in and detail for me his history with drugs, (and how it’s ironic that he now works in the narcotics department in his police precinct) and how he got into a fight with a rival karate studio owner in the middle of the street in front of his students AND how he is great friends with Chuck Norris (you mean Walker Texas Ranger? The guy who round-house kicks through car windshields?)--I’m soooo impressed that he “came to your nephew’s birthday party” and that “he’s so humble that he drives a Pinto.”

Well, that was actually a pretty entertaining day, but most days people just called to yell at me because I, not Bank of America, was sending them too many credit card applications in the mail:

“Yes ma’am, you’re right. I paid the postage and everything. I also chopped down the trees that they used to make the paper that the applications are printed on.”

“No ma’am, I’m not being sarcastic. I come from a long line of lumberjacks.”

“Yes ma’am, I am aware that this is not a joke.”

“No ma’am there is not a supervisor you can talk to because I AM the supervisor. I’m also the President and CEO of Bank of America.”

“Yes ma’am, that is ridiculous, and that is exactly why you shouldn’t be yelling at me for your receiving too many applications. I just answer the phone. Now, I’ll be happy to take you off our mailing list...”

A few days ago, when I came home from said horrendous job and saw my recently finished ‘vision board’ laying next to my college diploma (still in the paper tube it arrived in earlier that day), I burst into tears. The following night, Libby and I were admiring the officialness of this official document and reading it’s inscription in an old English accent (similar to Sir Hiss’ in ‘Robin Hood’), she suggested I have it framed. “Oh, I will when I have the money,” was my response. We cracked up at the pure irony...

I’m too poor to get my college diploma framed.

Laughing always helps. My friends are good at reminding me to Remember Rule #6: don’t take yourself so goddamn seriously.

But I needed a pearl of wisdom that will have have long-lasting effects on my spirit as I spend hours on end writing cover letters and applying for jobs. For this, I turned to a book that was given to me by one of my favorite ex-boyfriends, Jeremy, years ago: “The Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff. The book uses Winnie the Pooh as a metaphorical framework for explaining the core principles of Taoism.

Hoff discusses the importance of the Wu Wei, which means “without doing, causing or making” or, more specifically, “no going against the nature of things.”

“When you work with Wu Wei, you put the round peg in the round hole and the square peg in the square hole. No stress, no struggle. Egotistical Desire tries to force the round peg into the square hole and the square peg into the round hole.”

Trying too hard to force those pegs into the wrong holes causes tension and stress which inhibits the mind and causes discomfort in the body. Have you ever had trouble zipping your jacket? Tugging harder does nothing, but relaxing, taking in a deep breath, and then gently gliding the zipper works every time.

Cooper is more concerned with being unzipped

Basically, no forcing things that don’t fit. We have to understand that the natural world abides by natural laws, and no amount force will change the circumstances. However, we can change how we handle the circumstances. This involves trusting that obstacles serve a purpose in our journey, always...if we relax and go with the flow. We have to remember that things happen in the right way at the right time. This is always more clear in hindsight, but real peace comes from trusting this in the present. Hot damn, it’s so awesome and so beautiful and so true.

I could allow myself to stress about how I haven’t found a suitable job, which would probably lead me to send out as many cover letters as possible, paying little attention to how each one reflects the specific job at hand.

Instead, I’m going to relax. Sit down and write a few letters at a time. Sip on some red wine. Do what needs to be done. Trust the flow of the universe. Trust that the future will bring better things than I could have imagined. Trust that my dreams will come true in just the right way at just the right time.