In my fevered state last night, this idea popped into my head. Decided to write it out.
14 Days
by Laura Frechette
If you had 14 days to do whatever you wanted, would you be one of the following:
The Lover: The one who would be passionate and take care of those you were with. Or the one who went out and got crazy with as many people as possible because, hey, you can.
The Reformed: Finding your new belief and striving to do the best you can in order to leave the world in a better state than it was before.
The Risk Taker: Checking off all of you boxes on your bucket list of things to do. You give your life of normalcy to do the unexplained and unthinkable. You go skydiving, bungee jumping, maybe even do your first hit of drugs, (or quit). You do the extreme because in 14 days, it may not matter any more.
The Recluse: You think that by hiding away and distancing yourself from people it will hurt so much less for them. Your heart tells you that it is the selfless thing to do, but really, you also want the time alone. Having people see you suffer that way is just cruel and unusual punishment for someone who is already being punished for unknown reasons.
The Truth Teller: You can’t hide the past or secrets anymore. Your’s or anyone else’s and you tell everyone what you have wanted to tell them, ever. And the truth will hurt. Oh yes it will hurt like hell, but it will be out there. It wouldn’t be shrouded behind deceitfulness and lies and half truths. But will you be able to handle it when it comes back to you.
The Ignorant: You try to prove to everyone that nothing is wrong. Not a damn thing. Everyone can see it, and they call you brave behind your back. Their piteous gazes follow you everywhere, and you try harder to convince them and yourself that you are fine. But you know you aren’t.
As for me, with less than 14 days before I go and hopefully have my life fixed, I find that I am a mixture of these components. I have become the Recluse. I’m too sick to go out anymore, except on rare occasions, so it is best if people do not rely on me too much. I don’t want people to see me how I am now. Always sick, weak and vulnerable. When all this is over and I am well again, you will see my smiling face everywhere. I don’t intend to keep hiding.
I am part Risk Taker, though I prefer to think of it as indulging in my long lost fancies. Long have I wanted to do things that are socially unacceptable to the “normal” people. Renaissance Faires, studying Celtic Runes, and writing what I actually think, for once. As dangerous as it may be to pour my heart out to the world, at least I will still say what I want to say before it is too late to second guess myself. Which also makes me part truth teller.
I am also the Lover. No, not in the crazy way, but in the way that makes me want to be around my husband and some of my family more. Granted some days they drive me crazy and I want everyone to stay away, for their safety and my sanity, but on days when I don’t feel so overwhelmed… well you get the idea.
So we all have a little bit of these in each of us. Which are you? Do you know? If you had 14 days and knew that your life was about to change, would you change too?
– This post brought to you by Write or Die
