Fool First

Good comes before great, and bad comes before good.

Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung said, “The fool is the precursor to the savior.”

When we’re young, we experience this best and know it is universally true. Think of learning to ride a bike.

Atrocious at first and often dangerous, we pedal up, desperately attempting to balance, usually with an audience cheering all the while.

Then we fall, scream, cry, and usually want to quit. Often there’s blood involved, and sometimes a bribe or two to try again.

The second time is better, but still not quite there yet., Maybe we make it an extra few feet, wibble wobble, and crash into a bunch of thorns as I did.

Flash forward a few minutes later, and we’re speeding through the neighborhood full of life and celebrating. Victorious.

Resurrected.

Then we get old, self-conscious, and refuse to look stupid.

Speech patterns change from “yes, and” to “yes, but,” and our ego takes over preventing…