These are the lyrics in the chorus of the song made famous by Nat King Cole:
Straighten up and fly right,
Straighten up and stay right
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down, papa, don't you blow your top.
Ain't no use in divin',
What's the use in jivin'?
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down, papa, don't you blow your top.
Let me officially welcome all of you to the Winter of 2014. According to the 'experts', it promises to be colder than last winter. Really? You mean we get to experience another polar vortex and freeze our cojones (balls) again? Super.
There are many reasons why I've chosen to use Nat King Cole's famous lyrics in this post. They make sense, especially in these frigid temperatures--people lose their patience and get aggravated so easily. The days are shorter and it gets darker sooner. The cold doesn't bring out the 'best' in people. It brings out the worst. We start to hunch when we walk to protect ourselves from the chill, and our desire to hibernate starts to set in. The weather seemingly dictates our moods, and suddenly, we don't 'fly' right. There's a rhythm that we miss: like balmy breezes, patios, and social gatherings that are effortless, as the warm weather permits us to enjoy the great outdoors, in all its glory.
But, not in the winter. If you look around, most of the strangers you see are less than happy and wear sullen looks on their faces. People have to bundle up and bear the harsh temperatures. I totally get it. I'd rather be in shorts and a tank-top. But, what's the use in jivin'? Cool down, papa, don't blow your top.
I've said it before, and I will continue to remind you: Life is too short. In 2014, I've seen angst, heartache, despair, deep loss, sudden trauma. People's lives have been thrown upside-down in the bat of an eyelash. And, what does one do to cope? Anything but face reality. Anything that doesn't make us feel physical and mental anguish. Anything to get numb. But, I'm here to tell you that 2015 is going to be different. How do I know this? Because it's time to change your attitude. It's time to change how you see things.
It's hard to 'fly right', isn't it? To stay on course, to be humble, to be patient, to be loving, to be accepting--it's so easy for us to revert back to behaviors that no longer serve us. Change is extremely difficult. It takes a great deal of fortitude and willingness to make adjustments to our personalities, doesn't it?
I don't like incessant complaining. It makes me irate, because I used to be an incessant complainer. Do you see that? What I once was, I now cannot tolerate. I used to procrastinate, sit on my laurels and just whine about the fact that life dealt me shitty cards. I used to 'numb' myself in ways I'd rather not mention, but let's just say, I was a lost soul. Ain't no use in divin'...
I am pleased to say that after a decade of trial and error, I dug myself out of a hole. I'm not exaggerating one bit. I was at the bottom of the proverbial barrel. I clawed and scratched and clenched and suffered physically. And one day, I straightened up and started to fly right. I sought counsel. I healed myself from the inside-out. I asked for help when I needed it. I brought myself out from the depths of despair. It wasn't an easy journey. But I'm here to tell the tale: I kicked ass and took names. I made a name for myself. I developed a reputation. I earned trust back. I rose above the fray and overcame major hardships. I was proud. I am proud.
So, let me ask you: What makes YOU blow your top? Are you an impatient person? Do you abhor incompetence? Do people get on your nerves easily?
WHY? Ask yourself this question and be LASER about it. Don't dilly-dally, don't sugar-coat, don't embellish. What really pisses you off, and why do you allow it to get under your skin? If life really is too short, then cool down, papa/mama/sista/brotha, don't blow your top. With the holidays around the corner, gift-giving and social gatherings and traffic jams are inevitable. Be patient, this holday season. Practice breathing a little deeper. We don't do enough stretching, as a species. We don't give ourselves enough gifts. Self-care is lacking in a big way, people! When you give yourself gifts, the people in your circles benefit.
So for the upcoming year 2015, straighten up and stay right. Practice. Persist. Push. Prod. Persevere. Please?
Prego. You've been a delight. Hope you enjoyed reading my post. I appreciate you stopping by. Until next time...
