Pros and Cons of "Defining Moments"

Our unique talent for "defining things" has been more important to the survival and growth of the human race than opposable thumbs.

·         Hey!  That fuzzy round thing floating around my mouth that makes me belly feel better is a "bottle" (otherwise known as a "ba-wa").

·         That thing on the tree branch under which my friend is about to walk is a "saber tooth tiger" (otherwise known as an "Ug ug ug!")

·         That thing promising to watch out for my best interests is a "politician" (otherwise known as a "self-righteous greedy bastard")

Our ability to define who we think we are is essential for introducing ourselves to each other.   "Hi.  I'm an overweight, balding, retired writer, photographer, and harried grandfather."

Defining where I end and where you begin is one of the most exciting parts of falling in love.  However, it can also become problematic in marriage.

Defining things can become very complex and addictive for people who enjoy thinking.

The biggest problem with defining things is when we hold on to our precious definitions even when confronted with conflicting reality.  I was once a marathon runner.  Fortunately, I recognize that I am no longer a marathon runner.  (At least not with more work than I'm willing to put into it).

I used to think I was Ernest Hemingway but my best writing was never done when I was pretending to be Ernest Hemingway.  Come to think of it, Ernest Hemingway's best work was never done when he was pretending to be Ernest Hemingway.  

I would probably like both Obama and Romney much more if we were all just walking our dogs in the woods.  But the Presidential stakes are so high that they have legions of advisors coaching them on how to define themselves as who they are suppose to be. 

I'm not sure where I was going with all of this. 

I think, at the moment (4:30 a.m.), I am holding on too hard to my self-definition as a very clever, humorous, blog-writer.  But the reality is that a better definition of myself right now (4:35 a.m.) is someone who is really, really tired and should go back to bed and get a few more hours of sleep before the grandchildren wake up.