I have an inside joke about the Smokey Bear PSAs I grew up with.
You know the ones. “Only you can prevent forest fires…”
It’s just….the “ONLY YOU” part. There’s just something so ominous about it…so convicting.
“Billy, why are you up so late? It’s past your bedtime!”
”I CAN’T sleep Mommy, what about the forests? Only I can save them! It’s up to me!”
ONLY YOU!!!
It makes you think ONLY YOU can solve the problem. Not only that, but it’s your RESPONSIBILITY to fix it. ONLY YOU!!!!
Or else….
Obviously that’s a flawed way of thinking. A recipe for disaster, delusion or depression at least. ESPECIALLY when it comes to events larger than ourselves, calamities and tragedies life throws our way, the behavior of other people…etc.
Because…I mean.
There’s only one dude who’s got “the whole world in his hands” and it ain’t us and even He can’t prevent forest fires.
So. ANY-
I have this running joke. An inside joke. Mainly with myself. Hence, inside joke.
You see, we know we can’t prevent all the forest fires in the world – we know all we can do is change our behaviors. #maninthemirror That’s the true lesson behind Smokey Bear. We get it.
Or do we?
How often do you we find ourselves caught up in other people’s dramas, trying to “cure” them or “fix” them. How often are we up late worrying about all the things we simply. cannot. control. #serenityprayer
Any-whoo…whenever I find myself in those situations or hear someone else delving into that unfruitful train of thought I think to myself (or point ominously in their direction):
“ONLY YOU. ONLY YOU Missy. ONLY YOU can make your family get along. ONLY YOU can prevent forest fires.”
Then I giggle, realizing the absurdity of the notion.
Now you can share my joke with me! Please? I mean, if you want.
Whenever you find yourself trying to mess around with other people’s fires. Picture my ominous/serious face and repeat..
“ONLY YOU. ONLY YOU.“
And then giggle.
And then STOP THAT!!!
If you want. I’m not worried about what you do (0:
There is ONLY ONE thing we are responsible for really.
ONLY ONE thing we can change.
ONLY YOU.
- Wait did that last part make sense? Whatever. Are you gonna share my joke? Is this post like, ENTIRELY too long or what? I have a complex. Be honest. Scroll or no scroll. Fess up. If you did scroll,. you got the point right?
- What are YOU trying to prevent like it’s YOUR job. ONLY YOU.
*Prayers for peoples,families, animals, insects and nature currently experiencing the Colorado wildfires and those in the affected states*
