We all experience moments – sometimes fleeting, sometimes lingering, when we question the meaning of life. We become unsure of our purpose on the planet and can’t decipher the point of it all.
The dreaded what’s the point question often creeps up on us unannounced, and at times we can shake it off, but at other times it can feel suffocating. This commonly arises when we’re stuck in a rut and we realise we’ve spent the past weeks, months, or even years in auto pilot, just doing, doing, doing, and going through the motions without any real excitement, intensity, or intent.
I don’t mean to sound depressing. Nothing melodramatic is meant by this; life’s just fine and we’re by no means falling apart. Yet somehow, we feel unfulfilled. Unmoved even. We toy with the idea that there might be more to this thing called life, and we’re wondering why we would ever settle for ‘fine’, when we suspect that by peeling back some layers, something zestier might be revealed. Well – we should not, and do not have to settle for fine. With that said, an exciting life is seldom handed to us on a fruit platter.
Speaking of fruit, please feast your mind’s eye on this, if you will.
A beautifully pinkish, perfectly round, dimpled, juicy looking grapefruit. Can you picture it? Now imagine the surface. It feels nice. It’s smooth and sensuous against the palm of your hand, but what’s the use in that? Let’s discover the smell. You scratch the skin. A delicate, zesty scent emerges. But the juice! Where’s the juice!? You dig your nails in and peel off a chunk of the thick skin. The smell intensifies. Your fingers are sticky, and droplets begin to drop to the floor. This is messy, you think. But who cares? You’ve come this far, and this might just be the tastiest grapefruit you’ve ever experienced. You peel off a segment of fruit, and you salivate as you bring it to your mouth. You dig your teeth in, and your mouth fills with a sweet and bitter, amazingly indescribable taste. Yum. There’s the juice.
My friend – that grapefruit is your life. You can take the mess-free option and marvel at the fruit in your hands, enjoying the look and feel of surface, but feel hopeless as it inevitably begins to rot. Or you can go a step further, scratch the surface, and take a little whiff of the good stuff. Alternatively, you can be bold. You can dig your nails in deep, rip back the layers, and take a big, fat, juicy bite. I’m not sure what the worst thing is that could happen, but best-case scenario? It’s sticky, it’s messy, it’s surprising, it’s brilliant, it’s brave, and it tastes fucking unreal.
Tempted? Then get peeling!
