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March 31, 2009

Tuesday

Welcome to Stress City!

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Michele: Split Decision

“You don’t have to do this,” her father says.

The stress of saying no now was too much. She should have said no then. But yes was easy. No was complicated.

Now she sits in a limousine wishing she for the courage to say what she means, not what is expected.

Yes has a comfortable complacency. No opens a void that frightens her.

Her father looks at her, waiting. “You don’t have to do this,” he says again. He wants her to say no.

Yes is less stressful.

She hikes up her wedding dress and steps out of the limosuine.

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LJ: Daily Grind

I spend an hour every morning waiting in traffic as I drive into the city, every day terrified I won't make it in time. Then I make it to work, and the hours drag by, making me feel like it will never end. Then, of course, leaving work, leaving the city, another hour in traffic thinking I'll never make it home.

Then I spend the rest of my time dreading that this will be my life, forever.

It just feels like it would be so much simpler to just change my life. But then I'd worry about so much more.

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Caitlin: Maybe the Apocalypse is Kinder

As she rested in the shade of the old barn, she considered how her life had changed.

Four months ago, she was worried about her promotion; if Don was going to help take care of Mom; if David would propose; about if Sherry would stand her up for dinner again.

Today, Don, Mom, David, and Sherry are all dead. Or sort of dead. Today, she worries about finding food, water, and enough ammunition to get through the day.

The stress is much higher now. But life is much simpler.

She’s hard put to say that now is worse than then.

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