The Quicksand of Life

I know it's Tuesday and we're in our twenties. The bombardment of conference calls, endless meetings, and menial tasks that cause our eyeballs to be glued to a computer screen for hours at a time is relentless, but I think it's time we stepped out for some fresh air. If you would join me on this adventure of imagery, I promise to get to my point across sooner rather than later.

Now put on some sunblock (skin cancer is not a laughing matter even in the world of imagination) and join me on a hike. It does not have to be strenuous or sweat-inducing (it is Tuesday after all), but it does have to be in the wilderness miles away from the nearest horn blast and tire screech of society. Ready? And we're off. You're away from your desk admiring the soft sunlight and the calming blue skies above. The grass is green and the leaves on the trees are just beginning to glow with that warm hint of fall saturation. Nature is really something, isn't it? A sense of serenity seems to fall over you. You were built for this environment, and believe somewhere deep down inside that if given the time off and correct gear, you could conquer the Appalachian Trail. But all it takes is a split second and a step for that feeling to shift. Suddenly the grass wasn't that green and the leaves were more of a brown hue than an amber shine. It's not a famished black bear or a rattle snake slithering around with a trap full of venom that stop you in your tracks, it's the fabled inanimate force known as quicksand. You have just stepped into a pile of the wet, sticky substance and are unable to free yourself from the strong sinking sensation. Now for the sake of my story, this is not true-to-life quicksand, but the type of quicksand that has been depicted in Western cinema. The unrelenting type that sucks you down into its bottomless pit and swallows you whole. The harder you fight the stronger its pull, and in this case its got you and it's not letting go.

Not the ending you were hoping for? Is it ever? In the most dramatic way possible, I have simply explained what it feels like to be stuck in a rut. And, if you beg to differ, then you, my friend, have been fortunate enough to steer clear of those nasty little things that take hold and show no signs of leaving. One minute your life seems to be cruising along. You are even finding the time to stop every now and again to enjoy the scenery. But, with the strike of the second hand, and for no apparent reason at all, in the next minute your life is the most unfair piece of mumbo-jumbo in existence.

There is nothing quite like being stuck in a rut. It is unpreventable and comes on like a sneak attack. But you can instantaneously feel it. It's like a bee sting, if a bee sting was to linger for weeks, or in some cases months. And lucky for us 20-somethings there are about a bajillion varieties of ruts that can take hold. Now, I'm not a mathematician, however, I strongly believe that in cases denoting a feeling of overwhelming importance the number bajillion is acceptable. And here are some of my frequent visitors, the job rut, the location rut, the season rut, the hobby rut, the love rut, and the all inclusive, one-size-fits-all life rut. Obviously the life rut is a combination of all the other ruts, and this one is a doozy. Actually, for lack of a more eloquent way to express myself: it sucks. The rut is the quicksand of life. It comes on unexpectedly and grabs you with a grip that is unshakable. The more you fight it and try to get away from it the harder its grasp, and the only thing to do is to calm down and let it take its unfair, unfun course.

A rut, by definition, is a fixed or established mode of procedure or course of life, usually dull or unpromising. Fixed, dull, unpromising... yikes. Those are some extremely scary words for someone of any age, but in your twenties sometimes the burden seems harder to bear. And here is why. I, for example, still have the fantasy that anything is possible. I can move to another city, change my profession, procure an amazing group of uniquely talented and interesting friends, and in a nutshell start my life anew. I can rid my rut by becoming revitalized and motivated again. However, someone slightly older that is responsible for a family may not feel that these things are possible, and in this way the fantasy is both a burden and a benediction. The thrill of the fantasy is fantastic, but acting upon it, for most, seems like a daunting task to avoid. Sometimes endless options are overwhelming, and while thinking of all the ways to improve upon ourselves, the rut ends up winning. Packing all of my things, finding a new place to live, applying to endless jobs and graduate programs in order to change my career path. I don't know, maybe this rut thing isn't so bad after all?

Then again, my job is monotonous, there is no vacation time in sight and I haven't been asked out on a date since snow fell more than two winters ago. So what do we do when we are stuck in a never-ending rut? How do we shake it? While I hate to be the bearer of bad news (even though I'm just so good at it) I truly believe that these are just the times in life that one must struggle through. Perhaps a great night out with friends will reinvigorate your spirit in the short-term, but low and behold Monday will roll around once again the desk chair will beckon. I think when the rut takes hold, being positive is almost impossible and, just like quicksand, the more your friends and family drag and pull and strain to try to rescue you, the farther you sink. 

This is not to say that there is no hope, of course. The funny thing about the rut is that it seems to escape your life just as quickly and quietly as it took over. The trick might not be to escape your current situation, but, to, dare I say, make the best of it. I know, so unlike me. 

My past experiences with the merciless rut have taught me that one day you will wake up, and, for no reason at all, the metaphorical fog will start to clear and the skies will become blue again. Things will start to look up, for it's always darkest before the dawn. 

And, currently, in my life, I'm hoping it's about 6:00 am.