When I hear the word, I immediately think of walking through the deep, dark jungles of the Congo, clearing my path with a swing of my machete while wearing my little pit hat, tilted off to one side, and hearing the rhythmic beat of tribal drums playing off in the distance.
The word?
Conundrum.
Conundrum.
Conundrum.
It has nothing to do with any of it. But that’s what happens in my head from time to time.
Anyway. I love the way the word sounds.
But, within myself, I don’t care for its meaning.
You see, I have several conundrums which bother me.
Just so we understand that we are talking on the same terms, here is the definition.
conundrum
noun | kuh-NUN-drum
What It Means
A conundrum is a problem that is difficult, confusing, or intricate. Conundrum can also refer to a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun.
So yes. A problem, difficult question, difficulty, quandary, dilemma, puzzle, enigma, mystery.
I’ve used this first example several times before, but here it is again. I love animals. I love their little souls and respect their right to be here on Earth, just like you and me. But darn it. I love a cheeseburger. Fish tacos. Chicken fried rice. Heck, even those little cocktail weenies wrapped in pastry at Christmas parties. So, I often feel guilty about eating meat. Not only do I love those foods, my body also seems to need carnivorous proteins.
I don’t feel well with just eggs, and cheese, and nuts.
Anyway, that is one conundrum.
Another is my comfort. I like to be warm in my house and to drive a comfortable car. And a lot of other things. All the while, those things aren’t necessarily good for the environment. Yes, I recycle and don’t waste food. I drive very little, and throughout my life, have walked when I can. But.
First-world problems. Big baby.
There are millions, maybe billions, of people in the world with much more serious conundrums.
Any day, they may have to decide between buying their diabetes medicine or having enough money for food or for heat.
Do they stay in their home cities or towns, where the threats of Mexican drug lord gangs might come and kill them and their children? Children, who are just three years old and seven?
Or? Do they carry what they can and try to make their way to the border of the United States?
Do they risk running out of water and staying with their sick mother, or do they walk seven miles to the well to fill their jug?
Now, these. THESE are conundrums.
When I consider the world, and all the circumstances, in all the places, I realize just how fortunate I am.
Every day, there are a million miracles in my life. And when I reflect, I wish that I could make it so that no one had to suffer their hardships, their trials, and their conundrums.
This writing about conundrums started out as a bit of fun banter. But as it evolved, it transformed into a greater understanding. And that in itself becomes yet another conundrum.
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“Conundrum: A fun word to repeat over and over again when no one’s listening. Actual meaning is as puzzling as the need to chant the word.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway
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“There are so many ways of being despicable it quite makes one’s head spin. But the way to be really despicable is to be contemptuous of other people’s pain.”
― James Baldwin, Giovanni’s Room
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“There are many who don’t wish to sleep for fear of nightmares. Sadly, there are many who don’t wish to wake for the same fear.”
― Richelle Goodrich
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The hard hard hard choice.
