Note #54: You ever just feel tired?

Ted Lasso, existence, contemplation, farming

What’s up?

You know what today is? It’s Ted Lasso day! It’s basically the little show that could. Apple put out in 2020 with barely any marketing and no indications that they expected much from it, but it turned out to be a sleeper hit and perhaps its most popular show—and almost entirely on word of mouth. I’ve yet to see anyone who didn’t love it (and if I did, I might well view them with great suspicion, because have they no heart?!)

It’s rare that a show is so heartfelt and yet so complex and rich and without naïveté. No one in the show is perfect—not even Lasso—but that’s the point. Because a key lesson of the show is that although you can’t change anyone, but anyone can change, if you give them the space to and the benefit of doubt that change is possible for them. Not all will take it, but you can’t know who will until you give them a chance.

(If you haven’t got Apple TV+, you can watch in your browser at tv.apple.com. If you subscribe, the 7-day free trial is more than enough to finish season 1’s 10 episodes and you can cancel after or subscribe for season 2’s weekly episodes.)

Here’s a super basic graphic I made in honour of Ted Lasso—what he says when he introduces two people to each other:

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Essay

My essay this week was in response to a prompt from Medium about writing on something you’re tired of. The first thing that came to mind was me feeling sometimes like I’m tired of myself, which is something I’ve written a little about before. So I decided to explore it a little more.

It might feel a little dark but that’s not really the goal, it’s just how it is. I’m okay. It’s just part of what being human looks like for me, and I suspect, for a vast number of people. If that includes you and you relate, I hope it helps you feel like you’re not alone. If you don’t, I hope it helps you appreciate the lightness you get to enjoy—don’t take it for granted.

As usual, here’s the opening.

A friend recently asked me:

Have you ever felt a sense of futility? Wondering if anything you do actually makes a difference?”

The first thought to mind for me was, You mean that feeling that’s always on the edge of my mind? You’ve gone decades of life without it as a permanent companion? Wow. I should be so lucky!You mean that feeling that’s always on the edge of my mind? You’ve gone decades of life without it as a permanent companion? Wow. I should be so lucky!

My friend had been through a difficult time recently, on top of personal tragedies over the past year (and all that on top of the all the problems that came with living through a pandemic), so I understood where the question took root from. But I was also struck that it took all that to trigger it.

Which is where we’re different. 

You can read the rest of the essay here: Sometimes I get tired of me

Contemplation (quote)

Today’s quote is from the late theologian and pastor, Eugene Peterson, who died last year after writing some of my favourite words and paragraphs ever. This one was about contemplation, or reflection, and why it’s vital to our humanity. It’s kind of what I try to do in my writing in general, but especially so in this week’s essay.

Easy farm (proverb)

“Farming is easy”, yet the blacksmith chooses to craft farm tools.

I think about this whenever people talk about other fields of work like it’s easy money and no big deal. Like, if it was so easy, why aren’t you doing it? Surely you can’t like stress that much?

Talk soon,

Doc Ayomide

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