Beyond the Rhetoric

“Life is like a blanket too short. You pull it up and your toes rebel, you yank it down and shivers meander about your shoulder; but cheerful folks manage to draw their knees up and pass a very comfortable night.”

Just because someone has decided on a career in writing does not mean that he cannot partake in painting and sculpture as well. By the same accord, just because someone has decided to take the route of visual art does not mean that she cannot have a way with her words too. Such is the case with one Marion Howard.

She may not exactly be a household name, but Marion Howard is a well accomplished artist with particular skill in the area of watercolors. In these paintings, she aims to capture “a sense of the human spirit, love, and kinship” while providing us with imagery that is “soulful and caring.” With this kind of sentimentality, it’s not surprising to see that Ms. Howard has a penchant for describing the human condition either.

The quote above reminds us that life’s circumstances may not always appear to suit our needs perfectly. When we try to keep our feet warm with this “too short” blanket, we can leave our upper body exposed and uncomfortable. When we pull up to warm our torsos, we can leave our toes in a less than favorable situation. Life can only provide so much and it can appear that you will always be left with some kind of deficiency.

What we have to realize is that it is not life that we need to alter. We simply do not have the power to change the fabric of life on our own. However, we do have the power to change ourselves and how we choose to approach life. The onus is on you to adjust yourself to best suit the circumstances. Curl up just a little and you’ll have warm feet and shoulders.

How are you handling life’s difficulties? Are you complaining about the blanket being too short or are you working to find a proper solution based on what you already have?

Tags: adversity, happiness, memorable quotes

Filed under Personal Development.