“Love is a fog that burns with the first daylight of reality.”
-Charles Bukowski

The human spirit is a very curious thing indeed; it never seems content, particularly when the climate is fair and the days are lovely. Perhaps this is not something that afflicts all of us, or maybe it is a symptom of my own cantankerous nature, because I often observe a multitude of souls laid out upon the beaches like lazy sea lions, soaking up the sun. I never tend to join them, even though I know it would do me good. This does not mean that there is anything wrong with them or me; it is only evidence that humans are diverse and varied individuals, not two-dimensional stereotypes being pumped out for the benefit of some corporation’s consumer expectations. Although I am not a sun person, I get a serious thrill when all the loveliness of fog alters the reality I once existed in, in such indescribably delightful ways, particularly when the water droplets highlight the seasonal efforts of our eight-legged friends.

These beautiful delights are very precious and incredibly brief; you have to move fast to beat the sun, who is vigorously pushing back the clouds to reclaim its domain. After the sweetness of light and shadow in the mist is burned away, you will find that everything is slightly different than before the fog. Everything is less lively and bright because the mildew and decay of winter have begun and will continue until all the pretty blossoms have all been obliterated.

When confronted with the fogs of trauma or adversity in our lives, the same fundamental truths hold true. Upon emerging from the engulfing haze that once shrouded our souls, we are inevitably confronted with a reality forever altered, unable to return to its former state. Change, much like the ever-shifting weather, is an inherent constant in our lives, albeit emotional fogs may not impact us all in equal measure. It is in this juncture that we, including myself as no exception, run the risk of squandering our existence in pursuit of what was, yearning for petals long since withered. A healthier alternative lies in embracing forward-looking optimism, as opposed to incessantly mourning the irretrievable past, or succumbing to the manipulative coercion of those who exploit our lingering pain for personal gain. Admittedly, perhaps due to my purported simplicity, it took me a considerable duration to embrace such a basic and rational principle: to acknowledge and even derive satisfaction from the fogs that befall my own life, and to accept the inevitable, splendid changes that accompany them.

© TS Ni hUiginn