Here’s a tough question that’s come my way: Where in my life am I avoiding the truth or sidestepping something important? As I ask that, I can see a list of things I’m avoiding and the importance of those things. My reaction is another question: Am I ready to tackle them? I’ve always questioned myself about whether I’m avoiding the truth. When I look at those things, I think I could take them on, but I feel like they would hold me back, leading to navel-gazing and grinding to a halt.

I’ve always had this action-oriented mentality. Everybody has problems; nothing’s perfect, so just drive on with the airborne mission and deal with whatever hiccups come my way. I’m a path-of-least-resistance guy. If there’s an obstacle, instead of trying to go through it or over it, I look for how to go around it. I believe life is too short to focus on things that, in the end, don’t matter much. Nothing matters when you’re dead.

I could focus on those things and “fix” them. But does that make me a better person? Does it lead to enlightenment? Am I avoiding necessary confrontations? I’m reminded of a quote from General Hannibal, who, when marching to sack Rome and having to figure out how he was going to get his elephants across the alps, said, “We will either find a way, or we will make one.” I tend to sidestep tough issues by not giving them any space.

Right now, I don’t want my issues to have centre court. I’d rather just soldier on and go around them. But I wonder, should I continue believing that I’ll cross the bridge when I get to them? They might not be issues unless I make them issues. Part of me is curious about what would happen if I took on some of these things.

So, that’s what’s on my mind right now. I’m not sure what to do with that.

I’m off to spend some time in nature, so I’ll contemplate this some more.