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Distractions

So many distractions

By Willow PhoenixPublished 3 years ago 2 min read
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Distractions, you can see which ones weren’t, but most were.

Get a “good job” omg how many DECADES did we waste on THAT distraction. Chasing every red herring offered, “well if you only had an education”. Chase that! It works, there’s evidence, success even! You could be one of those! But instead you end up with one of the ones with piles of debt and barely scraping by week to week. “Well, you didn’t work hard enough obviously, or maybe you picked the wrong major” of course, the blame must be laid at your feet, it couldn’t be a system built around the myth of advantage, to keep everyone always chasing it. And examples?! We can point to plenty, you just did it wrong, of course you did it wrong. “Pay it off then” Scoffing internally, recognizing the futility of that, so many distractions.

We view the bags, sitting, the pile is smaller now but not so much...it started small. We shouldn’t be too much longer. We’ll be on our way, not long now...

Almost fifty years and this is it? It’s a thought that should fill me with dread...it doesn’t. Relieved, in moments gleeful, almost intoxicated (!), depression...lifting, do I even know what that feels like? I don’t think I do. But ye gods! I want to find out.

We shouldn’t be too much longer, almost done. We’ll be on our way soon. So much came before this day. So much preparation...but really? So very little. All the important steps came along the way, this is just conclusion, lesson learned, yes, we’re ready now, we’re sorry it took so long.

I reflect, depression, perhaps the biggest one, the ruling distraction, the distraction all the others have caused. None could have done it alone, they all needed each other, to tie down...what? A city, a country, no...the goddamn whole world if you look at it.

The main cause of it? Money, credit, a number that tells you how trustworthy a person is. But does it really? Or does it just tell you how much facility with imaginary systems and careful deception a person has? Poor. What does it mean? Limited in material goods? To be the one who repays friends before corporations, to be the one who hoards smiles and happy moments over a house that has become little more than a graveyard for mementos of a life passing you by? Yes please. I’ll take it.

There’s no escaping...they certainly want you to think so.

What is escape? I’ve got more good questions than I have answers.

This is wasting time.

I look over at you, you’re packing up more bags and probably annoyed that I stopped helping, seemingly just to stare off into space. This has been our way always, even if we were too blinded by distraction to see it, constantly trading roles.

I play the mediator, a challenging game, when to hold and when to draw. Sometimes it’s best to let you have your rage, other times...other times it needs tempered.

You play the beleaguered hero, always whisking the damsel in distress out of danger. But oh how I love to get myself in danger! Chase me if you dare!

I’ve forgotten easy...can you forget something you never knew? I’m wandering again. You’re looking in my direction, a weary, but happy smile “you’re being you again” “of course I am” the words aren’t there but they are

It won’t be easy, but we’ve never needed easy, just another distraction, all we’ve ever needed is possible

fact or fiction
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About the Creator

Willow Phoenix

If my path has been conventional, then I think convention must be redefined, but perhaps that wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Self identifying as agender and an artist and the rest not withstanding, now based out of Seattle, hi, I’m Willow.

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