Big Conundrum.   And you KNOW I have them.

You see, today I learned the Secret to Life, and all Greater Enlightenment of Mind, Body, and Spirit.

So.  Do I write about THAT…. or ….  do I write about Swiss Cheese?

Okay. Swiss Cheese it is.

Now.  You would think Swiss Cheese would be from Switzerland.  But alas.  “Swiss Cheese” is basically the generic name in North America for several related varieties of cheese.  The most of these are made right here in the good ol’ USA.  That and Canada.

Our Swiss Cheese LOOKS like a particular kind of cheese from Switzerland. It is called Emmental.  And Emmental is so VERY tasty.  I can tell you that from personal experience.

So why do we call our Swiss Cheese…. “Swiss Cheese?”  Well here is the little deal.   It is because of the distinctive appearance.  Yes, those  blocks of the cheese are riddled with holes known as “eyes”. Swiss cheese without eyes is known as “blind.”  For the Three Blind Mice, no doubt.

But the Emmental(er) was the one to have the holes in the first place.

And to solve a partial part of my conundrum, I will tell you this.  Swiss Cheese is a lot like life.

You can look at it one of two ways.  You may think it is incomplete, or lacking, because of all the holes or gaps.  Like somehow, you have been slighted, because there is so much missing from the block of cheese.

OR… you can see it this way.  That it is a glorious chunk of cheese… that is incredible robust in flavor and texture.  It is solid, and comes in a beautiful shade of golden silkiness.  Above all of that, it is versatile, and will go with so many different things… in any number of places.  And yes, occasionally you will slice through one of the holes.  You might be missing out on that little bit of cheese.  But once you get past the hole, there is more excellent cheese just on the other side.

So, every time we hit a big gaping hole in our lives… when our hearts are broken, or when we struggle with sadness or despair;  when we face illness or hardship… we can hang on… and make it through that hole.  Until once again… we can find that glorious cheese.

And cut the cheese.
Whoops.  Pardon me.

I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.
— Joseph Campbell

The meaning of life is not to be discovered only after death in some hidden, mysterious realm; on the contrary, it can be found by eating the succulent fruit of the Tree of Life and by living in the here and now as fully and creatively as we can.
— Paul Kurtz