IT IS WHAT IT IS

It is what it is...

Or…It is the perfect chocolate cake…

I will come right out and admit it.  I have said ‘it is what it is’ on more than one occasion lately.  I have also sang--at the top of my lungs in true Doris Day fashion and to the dismay and protest of many co-workers, “Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be."   ~redneck pronunciation: Kay- so- rah- so- rah~ (not to be confused with the cheer…rah rah ree kick ‘em in the knee) I love that song and the saying... but it doesn't make either one right.

We have a hundred little sayings (just sayin’) that we rattle off because they sound a little bit witty and because we assume most folks know what we are talking about and appreciate the humor. But the last time I said, “It is what it is.” I had an uncomfortable feeling right smack dab in the pit of my stomach. Some people would call that your conscience, some say it is a little devil and a little angel having a big old throw down on your shoulder and some say you are insane 'cause you are talking to yourself and you need to be committed asap (can't even imagine who they would be talkin' about). But experience through the years has taught me that when I get that twisty, crazy, ‘bout to throw up any second feeling in my gut, it usually means I need to “check myself before I wreck myself.” 

“It is what it is”.  What does that mean exactly? Does it mean that we just memorized a portion of the Serenity Prayer -- “Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…Amen...The End?  Does it mean we have finally reached that point where we think no matter what we do nothing is going to change and we've stopped asking for courage to change the things we can or even pray for the wisdom to know the difference?  Does it mean we have simply give up? After all…’it is what it is’ right? Trying to change it is just way yonder too much trouble and will require more energy than we can really muster.

I understand that, I really do. Hey, I love nothing better than to have my scorching conscience and convictions soothed by a nice, cool, double helping of excuses to explain how I am just accepting God’s will or that this is  just a lesson I needed to learn and eventually karma will come around and sting somebody in the beehind and I will see justice done and feel so much better in the sweet by and by.  It is what it is, right?  Because I am lazy and don’t want to work that hard or have to admit I might have some responsibility for the problem. It is so much easier just to throw up my hands and say, “whatever will be will be”, but deep down I know better.

Of course it is what it is if you stand on the sideline and just let nature take its course, if you are willing to just let life happen to you instead of living life, then you are guaranteed it will be whatever someone else decides it will be. The tide ebbs and flows, the storms bring rain and wind, the sun shines and the darkness falls. And YOU have no control. That will certainly make things a lot simpler when you don’t have to do anything.  It is what it is— and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. How uncomplicated and convenient is that?

Is this really how we were meant to live or how we want to live? A place where every decision good or bad is made for us by some phantom “it”? I certainly know the God I worship would not be pleased with “it”. He gave us free will and a brain to think for ourselves and decide our own destiny and he gave us a heart to warn us with that ‘twisty, crazy, ‘bout to throw up feeling right smack dab in the pit of our stomach' to tell us when something is just not right.

Stop!!! Right here!!! ~Man..I wish I was technically savvy enough to cut and paste a stop sign right here…how cool would that be???~    (Okay…focus Squirrely Girl…focus…)

BUT SERIOUSLY...STOP!!…and think about that for a second or two..maybe three.

 God created us and loves us and cares about each of us so much He would say, “Make up your own mind. I gave you all you need. I gave you not only the intelligence but the free will to be the captain of your own ship. What you do today and tomorrow is completely up to you, I trust my creation because.—well--I am God. I created man in my own image and I said, IT IS GOOD….not…"IT IS WHAT IT IS”.

And what do we do? We say, “Oh well..that is fine for everybody but me...for me..well..it is what it is.”  Like we were all just thrown in the mixing bowl with the eggs, flour, milk and…(forgive me…when I start talking about eggs and flour it immediately makes me think of Chocolate Cake) anyway…WE are NOT just thrown together, it is not a mishap or an accident that you are here or that I am here. We are part of a perfect recipe.

You have a purpose and a meaning. You are important and what you can give to this world is unique and indispensable. You are needed, you are wanted, you are the intricate color that makes the canvass come to life. It might be just a smile or a kind word. It might even be a strong word to the right person when they need it. But you are not a coincidence or here by chance. You are everything that surrounds you every single day. You are your mother’s smile or your daddy’s strength, your sister’s shoulder or brother’s strong arm, your grandparent’s history and future, your soul mate's soft place to fall, your child's safe harbor, your aunt and uncles’ pride and joy, your cousin’s confidant or the rock for your best friend.  You are an inspiration to each life you touch, in good times and in bad. You are super duper schmancy fancy smarty pants incredible!   You are the perfect chocolate cake because you have all the ingredients you need inside of you right now. You get to decide what ‘IT IS’…every morning, noon and night.  So make what it is …AWESOME!

Love and safety through the storm…

~Squirrely Girl