both/and – #SoCS

Today’s prompt looks like a choice of two options. We were simply given “above/below” and told to write a stream of consciousness (allowing for the correction of typos – thank goodness). Bonus points if I use both!

Oh, and I will use both, because my stream of thought basically fits “Ben’s Basic Rule of Staying Alive”:

Avoid being forced into using binary thinking and making binary choices

Yes, of course, light switches have “On” or “Off”.

Binary – make your choice, right?

NOT SO FAST.

Dimmer switches are my friends – ask my wife. And even when I’m forced into a plain old light switch, I can still choose classic incandescents of MULTIPLE wattages, CFL bulbs (remember those? The LED swiftly killed that rage, thank goodness), and the aforementioned LED’s are wonderful and come in a wide range of options… the list goes on.

And on.

And on.

Don’t make anyone tell you the only choice is to screw a 60 watt, incandescent, medium-base (BASES! You even have options there!) bulb into a socket connected to a switch that either supplies power or… doesn’t.

Click. Darkness.

Click. Light.

Life ain’t that simple.

But back to “above/below”… My first thought, morbidly, is above ground or below ground. As in – me and you, dead or alive. “On the right side of the grass” is a plucky answer I’ve received when asking people about how they are doing. But that’s a misleading “either/or” as well. These days, you’ve got dead bodies in space – above/above – and cremains in a variety of places, generally not “below” anything. Binary is totally NOT where it’s at anymore, friends. At least, not if you want to stay sane and experience some sort of happiness in your life. I apologize – I shouldn’t speak for you. I only speak for myself. I find that’s generally the wise choice.

My second thought about “above/below” is water-related. When I am asked how I am doing these days, I often answer “staying above water”.

But that doesn’t mean I’m COMPLETELY above water.

It just means I’m not currently taking water into my lungs and drowning.

Much of me remains underwater. Thankfully, my Boy Scout merit badge for Swimming taught me how to tread water and stay afloat in more ways than one.

But it doesn’t mean I’m not in the water, and it doesn’t mean at least some of me isn’t “below” the water line.

above/below

on/off

Avoid the either/or at all costs. It rarely leads to happiness.

try both/and…

And lest some of my readership think I’m straying too far from my Christian beliefs, go read some Jesus.

He was not big on binary options either.

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Today’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday (#SoCS) was “above/below.” Use one, use both, use ’em however they inspire you. Bonus points if you use them both. Enjoy!

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#SoCS comes from the website of Linda G. Hill.

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.