Now, I’m not professing that I know a lot about this musical.
To be totally transparent, I’ve never even seen it nor am I familiar with any
of the tunes from it. But the title always inspired me, and I use it quite
often metaphorically.
Those who may be familiar with my writing would know that I
am not traditionally religious. Although born, raised, and well-indoctrinated as
a Catholic, I have not subscribed to any formal religious practice in very many
years. However, I do consider myself to be a spiritual person and approach life
with a high degree of inner consciousness. So, within that framework, that show
title has always taken on an extremely specific and important meaning to me.
Life is full. And by that, I mean if we’re lucky we get to
experience it in all its “vastness.” A full life not only includes great joy
but devastating sorrow as well. And they are often closely associated with one
another. A perfect example of this is owning a pet. Most of us have been blessed
with the companionship of an animal. I know that I have. But those of us who
have experienced this special relationship know that our physical time together
is limited. And the loss of a pet can be as painful as losing a sibling. But we
cannot have one without the other. We can’t know their joy without feeling the
sting of their loss too. This is the Yin and Yang of life.
Still, we look for answers as to “why” things happen. We need
to understand on a rational level in the hope that if we do, the pain will
ease. This most often is the case when tragedy strikes and there is no logic
that our minds can hold onto to give us some sort of explanation that will
provide some level of comfort. In these cases, there is no real “why”, there
only “is.”
That’s when “Your Arms Too Short to Box with God” comes in. For
me, it means to let go of things that you are not meant to understand but must
come to accept. You can rage, cry, and spit but that cannot change the outcome.
Only acceptance will provide inner peace. The universe and everything that
happens within and beyond is far too vast to truly comprehend on a level only
meant for the “gods.” As we exist today, our arms are far too short.
Perhaps, in time and with lots of practice, we can reach that “god-like” level.
This notion of reaching enlightenment as it can most
accurately be described, can be found in most religions, particularly those
from the East. However, one needn’t be religious in a formal sense to
understand and eventually accept this concept. Our lives become fuller, richer,
easier when we learn that we cannot control everything. Nor can we fully understand
why certain things happen that defy logical or explanation. As much as we struggle to find the answer,
there is peace in letting go. Why? Because your arms too short to box with God.
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