Sometimes a saying or phrase floats around my head all day. Just imagine one of those blow-up beach balls that people toss around at concerts and you’ll get the picture. Just when I think its gone,  it pops back over me and demands my attention. Today, it was the phrase “all is well that ends well.” I’m sure you’ve  heard this little morsel of “wisdom” that people like to throw out from time to time. We usually say it after a negative experience as a way of finding the silver lining. It eases our worries.  It allows us to tidy things up.

But I wonder about the validity of this phrase. Are we really just putting a bow on a pile of shit and calling it a present?

Let’s re-wind. Why this phrase now? Well,  I blame my Saturday night. There was too much money spent, tequila drank and strange vibes received. It was one of those nights that leaves a funny aftertaste on your tongue (and not just because tequila was involved).   I woke up beating myself up for not being more intentional with my time and money. So, what do I tell myself to feel better?   Well, the words of William Shakespeare seemed more apt than YOLO, so “all’s well that ends well” won.

But why do I need to tell myself anything? I think I should try a new approach. Maybe it is time for me to marinate in the weird, annoying and painful moments of my night. Rather than pushing them away or cringing at their memory, I can feel them in their entirety and maybe, just maybe, learn something from them. After all, If I only focus on the outcome, then how can I learn from what happened? If I only focus on the end, how can I make a new beginning? (I like to think of this philosophy as YOLO with an addendum, YOLO*, or maybe YOLO 2.0.)