Fatally Safe

Life is like an iceberg in at least one respect - there is much more under the surface than above. I sometimes get swamped by the waves in my little corner of the ocean and when I do the first bit of truth I jettison, in a panic to stay afloat, is this very basic fact. I admit it's stupid. It's like tying a tourniquet around my neck in order to stop a nosebleed. I start seeing people superficially, making snap judgments about them and their various "ways". Life in general become "smaller" which leads me to trivialize myself and my life as well. Eventually (or perhaps initially. . .I can't tell) even God appears 2-dimensional and I lose interest in prayer. It cuts off all inspiration and leads to an increased appetite for beer and TV. Sex becomes something it shouldn't, boredom replaces vitality, and love fades away. My wife looks at me with a certain hopeful sadness, and it's damned hard to write a good song. The thing that rescues me time and time again is to somehow recover the truth that life is NOT static, simple, superficial, limited, finite, obvious, prosaic, etc. Life is poetry. Life is a dance. Life is dangerous and risky. Life is frustratingly complex and reflects the infinite nature of it's Creator. To shield myself from this complexity is fatally safe. Sooner or later I've gotta take off this silly life jacket, jump back in the water, and see what's under the surface.