Our society is obsessed with control. We know the outcome we want and we believe we have the power to create that outcome. We want every blade of grass evenly cut. We want our kids to be an age appropriate height, weight, and learning level. We keep our houses at the perfect, comfortable temperature and we kid proof and stain proof every surface. We put lights anywhere it is dark and a smooth surface anywhere it is rough. Irregularity and the unknown are bad.
Some things we know we can’t control. When confronted by that fact we find ways to feel like we’re in control. Since we can’t control the weather we want to know every detail about it we can. Since we can’t control natural disasters or accidents we buy insurance so we feel like we can handle every situation.
Our desire for control is a rabbit hole that never ends but infinitely takes us to smaller and smaller spaces. We have so much control that we can’t move anymore. We’ve given away freedom in exchange for the empty promise of control.
We are infinitely tiny specks in an enormous, ever growing universe. We have relatively little to no control over what will happen to us. We need to find a healthy balance between letting go of our illusion of control and remaining prepared for when unexpected things happen. And when they do, we need to embrace them rather than run from them.