A little “but”‘. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.
but \But\ 1. A limit; a boundary. Now let’s simply look at the word ‘but’.
I am ready. Staying with a thought or feeling the expression is straightforward, direct and true. True that is, until negated by the dreaded ‘but’. The expression hits a solid wall with ‘but’. “I really want to learn to ski ‘but’ i just don’t have the time.”
Stop the self-con game. Stop tiring yourself and your listeners. Better to say “I ain’t skiing” and move on. Now let’s look at the word ‘and’. The difference is monumental. I would like to learn to ski ‘and’ I just don’t have the time.
Both this ‘and’ that are true expressions of what is. They clash. Conflict is created. The difference? With ‘and’ there is potential. There is room to move.
With ‘and’ there is an opening, an opportunity. A solution. A basis for negotiation. No one has left the table. Where can I find more time? How strong is my desire to ski? Is this desire intrinsic or is everyone else doing it? If only a minor schedule adjustment seems so daunting, why hold on to the skiing fantasy?
Better to say “I ain’t skiing” and move on to your daytimer. Watch and free yourself from the tyranny of ‘but’. It may be exhausting at first. Let your expression be true. Commit to stopping the ‘but’, ‘and’ with patience either the solution to express your desire will appear or you’ll realize it lacks genuine depth.
