Is this what it's like for you, too?

There's a shitstorm a-comin'. I can feel it in my face.

So, yeah, there's some tense times ahead, and I find myself walking with ambiguity (because ambiguity has legs, and likes long walks.)

"Ambiguity" I say, "Should I enter the fray with metaphorical guns drawn, hackles displayed behind my neck so as to make myself appear larger, or should I become cool, like Spock when he's basically waiting out whatever insane tirade Kirk is on so that he can finally chip in his level, science-based opinion?"

"Definitely go with the first. You want to be on the offensive on this one." Ambiguity doesn't mess around with words, which is what drew me in to It in the first place.

"It seems like we're all so comitted, so ruthlessly optimistic about things like our children's prospects or the proper methods of parenting, that I wonder: why bother trying to be detached? Everything is so personalized that even common ground, universally understood norms like being nice to people and not doing gross things in public, has reasonable people frothing at the mouth. And, and..." I trailed off because there was something circling in the breeze just to my right, and I wanted to see-

"And what? Finish your thought. You need to do that more, you know. I can't advise you if you're not going to complete a sentence- I was never good at guessing people's thoughts. You all are so retarded." Ambiguity was working on being less caustic, but It would slip sometimes: old habits and all.

"Don't say retarded." I looked at my friend, who was smiling at me.

"I meant slow" It  said, "and hurry up. We're almost to the end of this path, and I don't have the extra half-hour today."

"All right. So, detachment is just another form of personalization, right? You get to claim to be the one with the clearest insight, because you have the facts. You're calm enough to get them, you know? It's just another way to be superior, to, to prop oneself up in an argument or crisis or what have you. So: what to do? Should I embrace the cause, then, just fling myself into this white-hot mess and strike out when I myself am struck? Will that be satisfying? Because I just want to feel concrete about my decisions. I want to look back at them from my rocking robot-chair and squeak out some certainties about what I'd been like back then. If you see what I'm saying."

"Kind of. You are over-thinking this, honey. Just...whatever you do, embrace that. Smile while you do it. Jesus Christ." Ambiguity was frustrated with me, and I felt some chagrin but didn't mention that I felt it.

"Don't take the Lord's name in vain" I told It.

"Why not?" Ambiguity asked.

I said, "that's an excellent question." And then I took Ambiguity's hand.