What Does it Mean to Become Meaningless?

It’s a Saturday morning. Gearing up for my day, having my coffee…first, I put on a playlist. An inspiring song I added comes on, and I brew…

Considering making it my morning social media share, for whatever reason, I go to YouTube. There, in my feed, I see a video I saw last night suggested at the top, one that I wanted to watch.

So, I watch.

There is a saying, I believe it came from an old Meineke commercial, that someone once spoke to me many moons ago. They said, “You can fix it now, or when it is really, really broken…”

I’m suggesting those who want to face some things head on open themselves to giving a (full) listen to these challenging commentaries.

There was a time when these commentators were the only ones I’d listen to, and then there was a time when I would never dare truly listen to them, except for the purpose of negating their points.

Now, for some reason, I find myself in the seemingly odd place of listening again – not with one hundred percent agreement, but with ability to acknowledge they make some very sane, fair and logical points.

The problem as I see it, at least my thoughts during the first video I will link, is that facts and fair points are made yet there is still the inevitable direct on indirect blaming on a variety of “others” and other factors. And, there is surely truth in that.

But some of these things are more complex and nuanced that simply THAT. The attempt by another to “fix” some issue surely has its benefits and harms. It leaves us all wondering, perhaps, why can’t we agree as best possible when something is truly a problem, and then work together somehow for solutions.

I suppose if this were possible, we wouldn’t be in this place of things being so very very broken.

As I listened to this first video, keenly aware of its many truths being pointed out even amidst periodically biases slipping through, there was a part where I listened to a statement made by Biden. As I listened, I thought to myself (first, I thought it sounded so very familiar to retroactive statements and denials about another major issue we were advised and guaranteed toward, which was not at all what was initially conveyed…) the phrase “what does that even mean?”

I first heard and incorporated the phrase “What does that even mean” into my communication bank back around 2005, when I was in an intelligent discussion with a younger person who put that forth. This emphatic method of questioning and/or conveying the absurdity of something is quite appropriate at times.

So, while listening to Tucker Carlson’s attempt to snap us all into the reality of what is unfolding, after Biden spoke about sanctions never working as deterrents, I literally thought to myself, during the commercial pause, “What does that even mean,” and when Carlson came back on, he voiced pretty much the identical thought.

I then went on to listen to another commentator whose video popped up in my feed – I don’t even know who this is, I have seen him before – but I listened, and he also makes some very valid points. Of course, things often are complicated, I acknowledge the reality, pain and sufferings of those who truly struggle with their sexual identity and orientation. This is a real thing, at least, in their world.

But, being on the heart-breaking other side of this now weaponized and almost absurd, in some ways, issue, I have thoughts, too. Last night as I turned into bed, I send myself an email, as I often do, with a phrase that might someday be a blog title or part of an expression.

That phrase, as I was thinking about my youngest son, and my thoughts about ghosting, cancel culture and passive aggressive controls not formed with any redemptive intention, but to inflict maximum, unspoken pain – even on one’s mother – was this:

“How many pieces does my heart need to be broken into before you’ve accomplished your goal? How will you know, son/daughter, when your sanctions have ‘worked’?”

I recently came across a hand-written letter I had drafted to my “daughter” in February 2020, long before the severance, it was a beautiful expression and reminded me that I called him her name, and had done that and much more for a long time, yet it did not heal them nor the issues between us. I found in my email where I had typed that letter out but it appeared, though I’m unsure, that I never sent it. I did forward the email to them over a week ago, with no response.

I need to start my day. There are great weights on all of us right now…but I’m taking some moments to pass along these considerations. You don’t have to fully agree nor disagree, but I do wish that somehow we could all move forward before we are at the point of no return…

Also, after listening to the second new commentator, it reminded me of a music video by a cover artist I admire…I love music and often the expressions of artists can drive home points in ways that break through many other barriers. It is just so powerfully human.

I will end with that video, the third…