100 Reasons To Not Kill Yourself: #58.

One of the greatest challenges we face as human beings (besides learning to work the remote) is discovering our place in the world.

To be clear, I’m not interested in launching a metaphysical discussion today. No, today we’re focusing on geography not philosophy. 

#58: Your “Spot”.

For Sheldon Cooper his preferred location on the couch is the “single point of consistency” in an ever-changing world. Oh sure, he rambles on about cross breezes and views of the television from his spot, but at the end of the day he just feels “right” while in that position in the universe. Sheldon may just be a fictional character (my apologies to those of you who believe otherwise) but his wisdom, intentional or not, is priceless.

Sometimes all we need to get us through a storm is a place to hunker down and wait it out.

 

If you’re like me and have been blessed with IBS, your spot is in the bathroom where you literally sit to wait out a shit storm. Yes, this turned dark and icky quick, but if I don’t laugh at my life I’ll spend my days crying – blogging – about it and no one wants that.

It may be your position in the living room or at the kitchen table, but having a locale to call your own can make all the difference in the world. Sometimes that spot won’t be in your home at all.

I hang my bellman’s uniform in Niagara Falls, a city known for it’s breathtaking views that make you want to urinate every twelve seconds. That fact notwithstanding, there a few residents of Niagara that have found outdoor spots to call their own. These spots offer both a serene view of the Falls and unbelievably, peace of mind among the masses with their cameras, devices, and screaming spawn who continually ask why the family didn’t choose to visit a Disney park rather than “a giant hole in the ground filled with falling water”.

Needless to say, these spots are invaluable and not easily located. But they’re worth seeking out. Fortunately, the entire Niagara region has thousands of similar spots and while they don’t all offer views of falling water, they’re every bit as calming and breathtaking.

Of course, you may be cut from a different cloth and prefer the hustle and bustle (whatever the hell that means) of the big city to help you find your center. If so, get thee to a metropolis teeming with mammals and gas guzzling, carbon monoxide spewing vehicles and get your crowd on!

Some of us prefer the track, the gym, our favorite eatery or even the theater or movieplex. Wherever you feel most at home is where you need to be when the metaphorical walls start closing in. It was his day off but one of my bellman colleagues, Peter, decided to join us at work the morning after we finally received word of Rockin’ Ronnie’s ultimate fate.

“I just needed to be here with the boys.” was the only explanation he could offer but it was more than enough. He knew where his spot needed to be on that day and even though the circumstances were tragic he nevertheless found solace in that place.

Being in his spot got Peter through a horrible day. Find your spot and hunker down there whenever you need to, for as long as you need to. Sometimes, not often, but sometimes, it’s a simple as that.

See you in the lobby, friends…