It astonishes me how some seemingly insignificant idea or incident can have a huge impact on the way we view life's ups and downs, and how this same little thought works for us through good times and bad. It amazes me even more when that kernel of truth comes not from a great philosopher but from a silly advertisement that people view on TV or hear on the radio.
In my case this little gem of wisdom that I use as a guide in my life during both good times and not so good times comes from a TV ad which first made an appearance at least twenty five years ago. I'm speaking of the pink Eveready rabbit, who demonstrated the un-stop-ability of Energizer batteries. I always enjoyed that ad as for some reason it resonated for me, and watching the pink bunny beat its drum long after the other creatures stopped dead in their tracks always made me smile.
I haven't actually seen that advertisement for years but I remember the endless motion on the part of the rabbit and the ceaseless, continuing drum beat. In fact, that pink hare has become somewhat of a symbol for how to conduct my life, regardless of what I am feeling or what I have on my plate to accomplish. In good times or bad, the idea behind the pink Eveready rabbit, that of continuing without complaint on and on and on into infinity has embedded itself in my psyche, and I call on that rabbit, remember that rabbit, and emulate that rabbit multiple times a week. The idea of persistence beyond what one would expect as we move through life's bumps and hard times helps me when I do in fact face the unwelcomed events that life tosses at me, and at the same time the thought of unbroken movement serves as a champion and guide during the good periods of time that life offers each of us. The idea behind the pink bunny also has assisted me as I age and has helped me view the aging process with equanimity and triumph.
All of us face hard knocks, distressing moments, and heartbreaks as we pass through this life. Some of these moments last days, others last for weeks, and some catastrophes can last for months or even remain with us throughout the rest of our lives, depending on the situation. During these times it becomes easy to feel defeat, to believe that we cannot or will not succeed at a task nor ever recover from a devastating loss; that this horrible period in our lives will never end. We forget or find it difficult to know in our hearts that we have the ability to continue on through the fire and walk out in one piece at the other end.
Here the idea behind the pink Eveready rabbit comes to my aid. Long after others quit and gave up in despair, that hare kept on marching and beating its drum, proclaiming to anyone and everyone that although life may have thrown it a curve, it intended to keep on trucking. That bunny just concentrated on placing one foot in front of the other to accomplish the task at hand in order to overcome the hardship it faced. The pink rabbit knew whatever the unpleasant and unwanted situation may be, it needed to keep marching and defiantly pounding its drum to move from the darkness into the light. And that cottontail did just that.
At the other end of the spectrum, that same pink bunny serves as an icon of victory and success and becomes a symbol that we truly can become virtually unstoppable. As the wheel turns, less than stellar situations in our lives do eventually give way to better and happier times, unexpected opportunities pop up for us and provide us with a new shot at life. In these better times of our lives, the pink bunny serves as a positive model. When life has dealt us excellent cards, we feel as if someone has replaced our batteries and we CAN continue to move forward into the indefinite future without the need for battery replacements of any sort. We have a supercharge of excess energy and of course we feel we can continue to go on and on and on, beating our drums and proclaiming to anyone who cares that here we are, ready and willing to move ahead into the future. We don't have to carry spare batteries in our pockets, as we have the equivalent of Energizer cells within our bodies that allow us to feel as if our energy will last seemingly forever.
For decades, the pink Eveready rabbit has provided me with an idea of how to pass through life. The idea behind this ad has served me well, but I never dreamed twenty years ago that the pink rabbit would also inspire me and assist me in the aging process. The fuzzy creature with the long ears that beats its drum long after others have quit trying demonstrates to me the fact that if I continue to eat well, follow through with regular exercise, and live a productive life into my golden years, that those energizer batteries within my body that have served me well for 66 plus years will continue to keep me moving and contribute my remaining young at heart. I haven't stopped in my tracks yet, so at this point I AM the Energizer bunny with the ability to continue doing all the activities I did thirty years ago. I realize that batteries DO eventually wear out, even those that keep the pink rabbit moving right along. The pink fuzz around the ears may have turned gray or white, the hands that beat the drum may have a hint of arthritis and the marching along may include some stumbling and aches and pains along the way, but hey, that is a small price to pay for continued health and activity. My batteries may not allow me to charge along at the speed I moved three decades ago, I may enjoy my activities at a slightly slower pace than I did when my batteries had more power and less wear on them, the batteries may be losing a little steam as I age, but with any luck they still contain a lot of energy and plenty of power to propel me into the future.
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