Comment=There is a lesson at the arcade.

Pinball=Life

I know The Who already sang in great detail about it, but I haven't heard anyone go in this particular direction with this metaphor. (Though surely someone already has.)

I couldn’t help but think today that I was spending a lot of time just reacting to things, and bouncing all over the place on the emotional spectrum. I felt a lot like I was being tossed from mood to mood, bitchy and grouchy being primary ones, with rage and fussiness also showing up, finally capped off by elation after a long run. (Note to self: Go running at the BEGINNING of the day on the weekends or risk becoming a nuisance to all who surround you.)

It reminded me of the way a pinball gets shot out into the machine, then just goes wild slamming into things that light up and things that make sounds and things that go boo in the night and then just when you think it’s all over there’s this marvelous thing possibly called hope, or perhaps encouragement thanks to the flippers, and back it goes into the fray.

Then, after flailing around and ricocheting off every blunder, joy, problem, person and place, the ball gets sucked down into the belly of the machine and it’s game over.

That about covers it.