Lately, I have been riding the struggle-bus…..
or is it strugglebus, or struggle bus?
Well there really isn’t a concrete answer. Why? This is a word that we have made up. I hope I am not alone when I say that nearly everyone in my social circle uses the term, probably more often than we should, to describe the annoying, perplexing, frustrating, and embarrassing moments of our everyday lives. Some of us (me in particular) would say that we are constantly on the struggle bus. Its as if I got some great deal and decided to buy bus tokens for eternity. Take this week for example. After finally feeling better, I got sick again and was informed by my doctor that it seems as if “my immune system has been seriously compromised by chronic stress.” I wore my pants inside out, spilled my passion tea lemonade on myself walking to chemistry, forgot my umbrella every time it rained, lugged my huge umbrella around every time it wasn’t raining, and lost my iphone charger. Again. After regaling these moments to my friend she replied that “you are on the struggle bus,” which is what got me thinking.
I, Tess Hamsher, was complaining. Not only was I complaining, but I was complaining about mundane, silly happenstances. I was complaining about life. I was complaining about what makes our days more interesting and worth sharing. Imagine a world where everything went perfectly! We would never grow or experience happiness. It is our pains that make our joys that much sweeter. However, this doesn’t mean we should stop saying “struggle bus.” I love the phrase; I think its catchy and sums up a mood. However, to be on the struggle bus isn’t bad; it just means you are trying. Life is a beautiful struggle.
So I will ride, patiently, happily, and glad to have a place to sit, on the struggle bus. Join me.