These extravagant moments of life aren't what they're cracked up to be. And if we go to where we think we can help, things can get a little difficult. The sarcasm is flowing today folks.

It can be a little deflating when we've given our all to something and it turns out the opposite of what we expect. Learning moments, we may call them. But what do we learn? We'll be discussing how these times can be a little tough for keeping moving forward. When you run out of regular milk and only have chocolate milk, it's difficult to eat cereal. But damn, that chocolate milk is delicious. Although the wheaties would have been better with regular milk. I wonder if coco puffs would do well with chocolate milk, the world may never know.

Seriously folks, we can care so much for a thing that we are defeated by the failure of efforts. Let's say you walk into a bar, and it's the only bar in town, but they have health code violations. When you approach management about the health code violations, they dismiss the advice and instead discuss their frustration with health codes anyways. The folks may not understand that such violations could result in consequences. When you bring the issues forward, they are simply brushed off. But, should you care at all? After you've given them the answers, it's up to them to make their own decisions.

This is reminiscent of religious folks spreading the gospel. People, sitting around someone's living room, discuss amongst themselves how they can save the souls of all those non-believers. Should they take this burden upon themselves. Oh, Roger. I can't stand it that all our friends will end up in hell. We must convince them to accept Jesus in their hearts. We don't want them to suffer damnation and the eternal fire that will consume them after death. We must try more to get them convinced of the truth of the matter. They will go to hell and suffer for all eternity. Oh No!! We can't let that happen. I can't sleep, Roger. The thought of all those poor souls going to hell is distressing. I just care too much. I want to see them in heaven, but we will be torn apart by the separation of heaven and hell. Hell doesn't give out day passes. I'm depressed just thinking about those poor souls.

Fuck all that. It doesn't even matter. After you've given folks the gospel, given them the word of god, given them the truth, they make a choice at that point. We can find new friends. Friends that will end up in heaven. Let's get off the religious bullshit, but the example is decent enough.

I'm not sure I feel like writing today. This whole thing has ended me in a turmoil of stress. Not real stress. But yeah, real stress. Restated, the stress doesn't come from the thought I am not being listened to while right. The stress comes from friends trying to convince me that I am wrong to feel passionate about something. Caring too much, caring to the point of expense. Expense to myself. This may be true in certain contexts.

And yes, everything is sales. Those wicked zealots craft a message of fear and hope. Implant the fear and provide a solution. This shit sells folks. Offer redemption for past sins. The wrongdoings of before can be cleansed, and the future still holds hope. Sideways as it may be, the underpinnings and principles remain the same. Don't try to sell me your religious bullshit by telling me my way is wrong. The attack doesn't work. Don't come at folks by telling them they are wrong. Or you can, doesn't much matter to me. You do you.

I got nothing more to say on the subject because it upsets me. We're leaving this one short with a few key learning moments.

How do we present information so people understand us? Does this understanding build the necessary trust? How do we "sell" without promoting fear of consequences? What's the softer, gentler way of spreading the "gospel"?

I got no immediate answers. This requires thinking. I don't feel like it, that was the excuse I gave myself. Well, fuck my feelings and do it anyways. Ain't that some shit, we must set our feelings aside to move forward. Once we have given it our all, we move on. We can rest well. We can sleep like a motha-fucking baby with the knowledge we tried. We don't always have to succeed, but we must always try. Go for it! Give it a try. You'll gain the momentum. Always think and act today because it creates momentum for tomorrow and the next day. Figure that shit out.

This is Learning Made Hard.