My Carrie Bradshaw Moment

Why is it that Carrie Bradshaw always has the right thing to say? Whether it be a witty snap, a smart pun, or just a wise little token, she has the ability to make the watcher think about his, or should I say her, own problems. These problems often lie within the realm of relationships, friendships, and other ships sailing into the social aspect of life. Now, I've never been in a "relationship-relationship," however, I do have friendships, and many of my problems aren't near as complex as hers because I'm living the life a "regular Joe;" but I seem to be gravitating to her and what she has to say. So, what? I'm a guy who likes Sex & The City, sue me, but is life really all about finding love, answering a question with another question, or questioning the first question that led one to question the problem in the first place? I'm going to say no, an "in between" no, a no that describes the very essence of my being -- "maybe." Not one person ever has the answers to everything, true, and the answers will never be convenient, but wherever it lies, it has to come from an adult decision.

Is there ever a dull moment in Carrie's life, her tasteful problematic life? Her question of the night: "Can you get to a future if your past is present?" Doesn't that just tense you up? Sorry for the pun, when you think about Carrie, you, well, get carried away. (I think I'm going to throw up.) Carrie's past exists within Big, a smooth-talking rich guy that holds the key to Carrie's heart. Not with money, but with his ever semi-creeper school boy affection and real desire for her as a person. Her present, a writer by the charming nickname, "Burger," who, obviously, finds common ground for their love of words and Carrie's way with words (I think.). The problem is, Carrie's ever present elephant in the room ex-relationship with Big holds her back from grasping a small glimpse of a stable future relationship with not just Burger, but also her perceptions of love, and, especially, men. It is an interesting tabled turned point-of-view for me as a twenty-something male that is trying to understand why men seem to be the problem for women and women seem to be the problem for men. It's not like the two are from different planets. Both are human and conduct themselves as such, albeit in different ways, but I believe it all lies within social stigmas for the ever battling sexes. That sounds like a snooty college student remark trying to impress his teacher, but it's a little bit true.

That said, why does the future for Carrie matter so much? Why does it matter so much to you and me? Isn't it absurd to even talk about it? Hell, thinking about it can give someone a headache, even scared shitless. I'm trying here, to figure out what actions will affect me in the future, to understand why such consequences will be so dire and, again, why does it matter? I'm going to get it straight for myself, I seem to be thinking in circles. The past has shaped my present, the present in non-negotiable, and the future is unknown. Here I am, going to school trying to to get my future on and get some sort of security for "just-in-case" situations. In the words of Macbeth after finding out his beloved wife has taken her life:

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.

Macbeth Act 5, scene 5, 19–28

I'm not just calling Carrie an idiot, we're all idiots. Nah, she's not a complete idiot though, she has a point and she gets it across, pins you down with it, and makes you realize that what you have to live for is for "The Ever Present Now." Is this what love has in-store for all? Tomorrow? I should hope so. We don't know if a tomorrow will ever come, but we EXPECT it, and that's all I need to reassure my restless, unloved "relationship-relationshipless" heart. I expect love tomorrow. Not just from one person, but from my family, friends, and little animal creatures that sing with me during a blacked-out Disney musical number. (Ah, weed and liquor.) Give a little. Take a little. Expect nothing but the best; and, if you can't receive, feed off it from whatever you love. Absorb that energy, I do it all the time. After all, loving yourself is okay, too.