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On the Mark, Episode 16: Don't Let The Sound of Your Own Wheels Drive You Crazy.
July 21, 2009
Hi everyone,
Do you spend a lot of time thinking about Life, Death, the Universe, and Everything?
Then, if that's not enough, do you think about your job, finances, your relationships with your family and friends, the continuing saga on the national front, and polar bears on broken-off pieces of ice in the middle of the ocean?
Then, to top it all off, do you think about how ridiculous the Cleveland Indians season has been; and do you get all hot and bothered over the great Brady Quinn vs. Derek Anderson Browns quarterback debate? Do you stay awake at night fretting over who is going to win American Idol? Does your mind wander to senseless worrying about things that you have little or no control over?
Do you ever feel like your brain is about ready to blow a gasket?
Or is this just me?
My brain is constantly on overdrive. And a lot of times, I find that my brain is my own worst enemy.
Then one day it hit me:
"Thinking is SOOOOOO overrated."
Yes, that's true. It seems like people who don't think so much are a lot happier. It's as though people born with more brains have to carry around the burden of using them so much more. Sometimes I wish I could be more stupid. Or should I say, I wish I was a lot more dumberer . . .
I'm beginning to believe in the saying, "Ignorance is bliss." Because if there is an meteor that is going to smack right into the earth and kill you, wouldn't you rather not know about it? I mean, if you knew it was coming, it would just ruin the rest of your life. Wouldn't you rather be in the middle of laughing at something, instead of cowering under the bed in panic?
After the Cavaliers lost in the playoffs, I couldn't find any sackcloth to wear, and I didn't know how to sit shiva. But to be honest, it did put me in a funk. And I got angry with myself, because I knew it was stupid that I was worked up over something that was meaningless. So I was more upset that it bothered me, than the case that they lost.
You see, I was using the Cavs winning season as a great mental diversion from thinking about the more pressing matters of life. Then that fairy tale came crashing to an end, and I was left with those heavy things on my mind again.
So, I decided to shut off all connection to the outside world. I stopped listening to the radio in my car, and I switched to the buzzer to wake up to in the morning, instead of the news/talk/sports station 1100 WTAM.
Why? Because I was just tired of hearing about the news, sports, everything. I wanted to become a total bimbo when it came to what was going on in the world. I even considered dying my hair blonde, to see if that would work.
I wanted to be clueless.
Well, that only lasted for so long, because I still thought about those things even when I didn't hear about them.
The next thing I turned to was listening to music. That works for a while, but most songs are about falling in and out of love . . . which is fine when you're in a relationship. When you aren't, all those songs do is remind you of what you're missing. It can be a bit depressing.
But every once and a while you become reacquainted with a great old song that just strikes a chord. It's like meeting up with an old, long-lost friend, and all feels right again. And this time I met up with the song that propelled The Eagles to fame in 1972.
"Take It Easy"
If you ever want to lighten your load, just listen to that song. If you don't feel refreshed, there is something wrong with you.
But like the thinker that I am, I can't just listen and enjoy the music. No, I have to think about the lyrics. And when you really stop and think about them, boy they sure make a lot of sense:
"Well, I'm running down the road tryin' to loosen my load
I've got seven women on my mind,
Four that wanna own me, Two that wanna stone me,
One says she's a friend of mine
Take It easy, take it easy
Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy
Lighten up while you still can
Don't even try to understand
Just find a place to make your stand and take it easy . . ."
Aren't those such great lyrics? Here's what I have to think about them:
"Well, I'm running down the road tryin' to loosen my load." You're on your path of life and you just want to give your mind a rest.
But you've got "seven women on your mind." OK, I cheated and found out on a message board that this may be a metaphor for the seven days of the week. You've got Monday-Thursday filled with hard work (Four that wanna own me). You've got Friday and Saturday when you're partying (Two that wanna stone me. OK, keep in mind when this song came out), and then Sunday you go to church (One says she's a friend of mine).
So you've got the entire week that is on your mind, but the answer is to "Take it easy . . . take it easy."
"Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy." The best line of the song. The wheels of your brain are spinning, and it all makes you feel like you're going crazy. Just stop listening to that distracting noise, and give your mind a rest.
"Lighten up while you still can, don't even try to understand." Don't fuss and fret over the troubles of life, because you're never going to be able to understand it. It's a pointless endeavor, trying to figure it all out. Your mind doesn't deserve that burden.
"Just find a place to make your stand, and take it easy . . ." Find a place and purpose on this Earth, and just do it. But do it with a clear mind. And do it without thinking too much about it. Be at peace. Seek where you find that peace, and let the rest go.
So thanks for taking the time to stop and take it easy with me. I hope that the sound of your own wheels don't drive you crazy this week. Find your place of peace, and lighten up -- while you still can.
Here is a clip of The Eagles in concert performing this great song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScG0ilS0dgI
Have a great week, everybody. Oh, and take it easy,
Mark
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