Aphorisms

My mom sent me an email this morning that had a nice, well written little essay by a man reflecting on his father's perspectives on life, and on his parents' relationship, etc.  It was fine, and it wasn't overloaded with trite affirmations and treacle sweet platitudes like most "positive message" emails are.  There was a bit of a cute story about how after reading that old drivers most often get into accidents while turning left, that his parents decided to only take rights from then on; three rights being the safe version of a left.

"You're kidding!"  I said, and I turned to my mother for support "No,"
she said, "your father is right.  We make three rights.  It works."  But
then she added: "Except when your father loses count."

I was driving at the time, and I almost drove off the road as I started
laughing.

"Loses count?"  I asked.

"Yes," my father admitted, "that sometimes happens.  But it's not a
problem.  You just make seven rights, and you're okay again."

I couldn't resist.  "Do you ever go for 11?"  I asked.

"No," he said "If we miss it at seven, we just come home and call it a
bad day.  Besides, nothing in life is so important it can't be put off
another day or another week."

Yes, all very cute.  It occurred to me, though, that the problem with pithy wisdom is that it only works in a bubble.  I truly believe in the truth of the above admonition against thinking of everything as being earth-shatteringly important.  I also believe that the whole "seize the day", "stop and smell the roses" and "take life as it comes" things are true, but as a set they're mutually exclusive.

At the end of the day, it seems like choosing which platitude to follow in any given situation is, unfortunately, pretty much the same as making the decision in the first place.

So I guess what I mean is: "Always take the time you need to choose the aphorism that's right for you"