The weight of one is heavy. Something so rare makes us feel like we have only one chance to get it right.
If the one-and-only is inanimate, we never want it diminished. If it’s alive, we seek the futile tranquility of immortality. The desire for everlasting sustainability pressed against the tension of time can make oneness a bit overwhelming. This emotion can devolve into a fear of change and selfish preservation.
Extra Shot
Freedom awaits on the timeline of now.
Being present is hard when we’re always reflecting on the past and thinking about the future, but what choice do we have? Altering the past is not an option. All we have is now, but the present never stops passing. Time becomes an endless transition. Within the blur, gratitude provides peace. It invites us to cherish our one and onlys.
Such admiration acknowledges the past, allows the present to be a gift, and instills renewed optimism for what’s next. For all that is one and only, we say thank you.
Brewed From Within
#117 📖 Life & Happiness
2 Comments
Ben McDougal · October 14, 2026 at 6:55 PM
ORIGINAL – 8/9/21
The weight of one is heavy. Something so rare makes us feel like we only have one chance to get it right. If it’s inanimate, we never want it diminished. If it’s alive, we seek the futile tranquility of immortality.
These desires pressed against the tension of time can make the uniqueness of one feel overwhelming. This can devolve into a fear of change and selfish preservation, but perhaps there is freedom within the timeline of now.
Being present is hard when we’re always reflecting on the past and thinking about the future, but what choice do we have? Altering the past is not an option. All we have is now, and yet, the present never stops passing.
Within this endless transition, gratitude provides peace. It invites us to cherish our one and onlys in life. Such appreciation acknowledges the past, allows the present to be a gift, and instills hope for what’s next. For all that is one and only, I say thank you.
BEN MCDOUGAL - 2021 Bookend · December 30, 2021 at 1:59 PM
[…] send their kids off to school, but this mangled mindset inspired the realization I wrote about in One & Only. It was neat to start that blog not knowing where I was headed, but in the end, realizing that […]
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