Sometimes we get what we want.

Many times we don’t.

Quite often we get what we don’t want.

And in more than just a few cases, what we don’t want also doesn’t happen.

This seems to be the game of life.

Going from one want to the next.

Trying to avoid the unwanted.

Being surprised by the brilliance and beauty and importance of things we didn’t want in the first place, but got anyway.

And feeling utterly disappointed by finally having what we thought we wanted and needed.

That’s us.

Too smart to realize our ignorance.

Too ignorant to stop doing what fucks us up.

We can learn almost anything, but the Game of Wants stays utterly elusive.

It’s too complicated.

Too personal.

There’s too much feeling involved.

Longing for security, comfort, and happiness.

Trying to control the doubt and the envy and the confusion.

We really believe our wants and don’t wants are essential for our wellbeing, and we really believe that we have a clue.

And yet, no matter how many times we realize how crappy we are at predicting the future or seeing the bigger picture, we keep doing it anyway.

We really believe we know what we need.

So it goes on and on and on.

Wanting and not wanting.

Hoping and fearing.

Never realizing we don’t know shit about what’s really important.

What we really need.

What we can handle.

What shapes and molds and colors our stories.

We simply don’t know.

And we desperately want to.

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(Photo by @marcospradobr, for Unsplash)