Happy Habitrails

So, if you are of a certain age then you will remember these little wheels inside cages that were designed to provide pet rodents with hours of entertainment and exercise so as not to remind them that they were in fact pet rodents. I never owned a pet rodent or understood the appeal of doing so, but evidently a lot of my peers did.

In my adulthood, I ponder the whole Habitrail penomenon in a totally different light. I have often wondered if those little rodents realized they were just little rodents? More importantly, the Habitrail is a metaphor for so many different things in the life of many people--if they are willing to admit it. So, how many times have we run endlessly in a circle, believing that we were moving towards something? Now, if you have never done this, then congratulations because you are out ahead of many of your comtemporaries.

I will only speak for myself, and of things I know. I have had Habitrail runs in almost every area of my life but they have probably been the most profound in the area of relationships and money. For the relationship part, I have stayed too long, left too soon, tried too hard and not tried hard enough. The reality is, that once I decided that my happiness and joy was my responsibility, I was far more clear on where I should and shouldn't be. I am single now, and not especially happy about it but I believe that the universe centers us in spite of ourselves. I write my singleness off as that and at some point I will be blissfully happy. This is not to say that I am unhappy, I just believe that there is a different level of happiness that is achieved when you connect with another human being on that level where you just "get each other."

As far as money goes, it hates me and I need it. My relationship with money has run the gamut from totally functional to slave and master, master and slave and currently tenuous partners with money giving less than it needs to. The reality is, that I am less traumatized about my "me and money" relationship because frankly, I got a nation full of company. At this point, I know that barring a LOTTO win, I am just sort of where I'm gonna be with money. I have one son in college, a daughter that's going, and another son in preschool. I am doing my best and hoping that it's good enough.

I consider myself fortunate. There are so many people that don't even realize they are on the wheel, at least I'm fortunate enough to get off. How about you?