XI. Some bridges aren't meant for us.

XI.  Some bridges aren’t meant for us.

                Sometimes we see a bridge that we want to cross, but for some reason that we do not understand at the moment, the gate to the bridge is blocked or we can’t pay the toll. Do you know what I mean?

                Hobblestone just didn’t understand why his application to graduate school at a prestigious New England university was turned down. He was sure that bridge was meant for him. He’d been eyeing it since his sophomore year in college; in fact, it was the only school he applied to for his graduate work. 

“In what?” you ask? Don’t ask. It’s not important to our story.

                I would have hoped by now that you wouldn’t let yourself get distracted so easily by trivial curiosity. But I’m going to Let  Go of the disappointment of thwarted expectations and move on. I harbor no residual resentment, bitterness, dismay or grudges. 

Rule # 52: You’ll be better off if you don’t let yourself get distracted by trivial curiosities.

Rule # 72: Inner peace comes to those who harbor no residual resentment, bitterness, dismay or grudges. 

And that’s what this entry is really all about. Letting it Go. Big things as well as small. Let It Go. Some of you may remember that back in the late 60’s, Paul McCartney sang a song called “Let it be,” but most of us didn’t adopt it as a way of life. After all, we were in the middle of the war in Viet Nam, students were demonstrating all over the place, and no one was willing to let It be, since It was such a mess. 

Things are still a mess, for different reasons, perhaps, but maybe we’re just fed up with being fed up, because a new phrase has emerged in popular parlance: Let It Go. A lot of people work at it lately. Maybe you’ve seen them making fists and then gently opening their fingers, palms facing up. some people also take a deep breath while doing it. I enthusiastically recommend it. And if you want, you can make up your own gesture if it helps you Let It Go.

                It’s time for a quick review. Stay with me on this: At The Ice Cream Stand: They didn’t have Hobblestone’s favorite flavor. (I think they should fire the manager, but who am I to judge?) Instead of having a temper tantrum, Hobblestone played Shoo, Kitty!---which allowed him to Let it Go and discover a new flavor of ice cream (red raspberry, if I remember correctly.) 

                Have you noticed how the two themes are interconnected? Time folds in on itself and the games develop a relationship with one another. Like I’ve said, life isn’t linear. 

                And now, once again, many years later, the dreaded rejection letter comes in the mail. the bridge-gate is shut and locked, and Hobblestone suffers a great disappointment. He thought he had his near future all mapped out, but suddenly the rug is pulled out for him and he has no idea what he’s going to do.

   What do you think he ends up doing? Think about it until next time. 

Meanwhile, don’t waste your time thinking about trivial curiosities such as 1) the name of the school that turned him down; 2) the increasing number of unpaid student loans in our country; 3) the trolls that children think live under the bridge.