Adjusting reality

Take a look at the picture to the left. My friend "Johnny" adjusted reality for me by dropping out the background and "correcting" the color balance. If you compare this with the previous pictures appearing in my messages, you can definitely tell the difference. It is not a real picture (because of the changes) but it is better--at least Johnny thinks so. What do you think?

How often do we adjust reality in our memory? I heard about some whipper snapper complaining to his grandfather that grand dad lived in the "good old days" and he wished he lived back then. Grand father then reminded him that in the "good old days" the bathroom was 100 feet from the house and it was freezing cold to traverse that 100 feet in the winter. In the summer, the flies around that out house were thick and biting, and the outhouse had a horrible smell of .... (you know what.) So much for the "good old days. But how many of us forget the bad times, or in our memory adjust reality just a little bit?

I remember I used to run 3 miles almost every day. What I am trying to forget was how unsure I was of myself in those days. I was outwardly bold and brave, but inwardly quite shy--especially around beautiful women. I was not able to believe that ladies would enjoy me just because I am so very cool. I no longer run 3 miles a day. I wish I could, but I never want to return to that age where I was so unsure of myself.

A lot of people seem to pine for the good old days, but I'll just bet if they could really remember the "good old days" they would not seem quite so good!! It is just a case of adjusting reality. We all tend to do it.

A camping trip was wonderful--we forget all the hiking and mosquitoes involved! A party we went to was terrific--we have forgotten that we stayed up too late and were miserable the next day. Our previous job was better--we tend to forget the long hours and nagging boss. So we adjust our reality as we go along.

Happy reality,
David A. Youngs