There isn’t a way things should be. There’s just what happens, and what we do.
A deeper thought from a deep thought from Sir Terry Pratchett
I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I’ve been a big fan of Sir Terry Pratchett’s writing since I first read one of his books. The book was ‘Guards! Guards!’ and pretty much from the first paragraph I was completely hooked.
I now have pretty much all his books, and there are quite a few believe me, on my bookshelf, including some rare editions. I’ve probably re-read each one a dozen times, and every time I find something else to make me smile or even at times laugh out loud.
It defines ‘Comfort reading’ for me.
If you’ve never read any of his books, can I suggest you stop reading this for a minute and improve your life immensely and immediately by picking up any one of his books.
Like literally any one!
But what is it about his books that I like?
Well there’s a lot.
His humor is simply the perfect blend of cutting satire and observational interpretations. His plotlines are brilliant in their simplicity and complex in their execution. His character creation and development makes for characters you can identify with and feel a genuine connection to.
But I think one of the most important reasons why I like his works is because they display an almost surgical understanding of people and life itself. An understanding that I feel I often lack myself.
This quote comes to mind:
The words are simple. The composition of the sentences are simple as well. There is no complexity involved in the quote whatsoever.
That is, until you try and understand the quote.
I mean like actually understand it…not just a rudimentary understanding as you would apply to a 2 + 2 = 4 understanding.
That’s when it gets…interesting.
Most people need the anchor of knowing that there is a higher power dictating the way our lives are headed. This higher power could come in the form of a almighty religious being, or destiny, or fate, or the alignment of planets or even simple luck.
We need that.
We need to be able to tell ourselves that these big monstrous things that are happening to us are all being overseen by some benevolent higher power who sees a tapestry far bigger than us, where our lives form a tiny thread on a carpet of exquisite detail and brilliance.
We need to be able to say that even though it’s hard at the moment, Destiny or Fate will roll the dice again and this time the numbers will be in our favor.
Or, rather more insidiously, we need to believe that everything that is happening to us, whether positive or negative, is somehow a result of the good or bad that we have done previously,because the great abacus in the sky is keeping score.
If we were to believe, universally and even for just an instant, that there may not be a Plan in place for all this, chances are the world would be plunged into utter and immediate chaos.
The magnitude of which I assume would find suitable comparison in all the books of the apocalypse. End of times level chaos. The type of chaos that would call to mind the dry leaf trying to hold strong in the face of a tornado.
But let’s look at that quote again: There isn’t a way things should be. There’s just what happens, and what we do.
What does that quote do? It puts the responsibility of it all squarely on YOU.
There’s just what happens, and what WE do.
All of a sudden the protagonist is now you.
You are the one that has to react to whatever happens, and by extension its in your power to do something about it.
You are now the one who has to accept control, or lack of control over what is happening, because things just happen.
We don’t like this.
Most of the time we’re not sure we have enough in ourselves to be able to handle a cup of coffee that’s a little too hot. How can we then expect ourselves to be the heroes in our own story?
Better to have something else, or someone else, dictate what happens to us, that way the onus of responsibility is shifted away from YOU and on to someone or something else who’s rules are clearly ascribed, the following of which will allow you to live happily, healthily and prosperously, until you are no longer living happily, healthily and prosperously, in which case you may have broken one of the rules and must atone because of the great abacus in the sky.
There isn’t a way things should be. There’s just what happens, and what we do.
That is such a scary prospect.
Yes its scary because it calls to mind the possibility that there really is no tapestry of all things being woven as we speak in the loom of destiny.
But what’s even scarier?
It shows how really powerful YOU are. And if that doesn’t scare you, you don’t think of yourself highly enough.
Thank you for reading all the way to here. Here’s a slightly more humourous quote from Sir Terry. Wouldn’t want you to leave without a laugh
