Inky, Blinky & Then some...

I have taken to playing some old school arcade games to pass some time recently thanks to my Playstation 2, and a delightful game my brother bought me a few years ago for my birthday. Games from a simpler time when it was one joystick and an orange button, and with those two tools you and your triangle spaceship could own the galaxy, or a little mouse could trampoline his way to victory, or perhaps your 2 pixel racecar could cross the finish line before the clock ran out.

By playing these games, I have decided that I am a Ms. Pacman. Well technically now I’m a Mrs. Ferrett after getting married a few months ago, but that isn’t a video game that I know of. I could be a Pacman, but I have decided I do look cute in a festive pink bow. Some computer generated music introduces her mission, and off she goes, determined to swallow each little yellow dot, minding her own business. But look, there are her nemeses, those four ghouls trying to stop her from accomplishing her simple task. She fakes right or left, bobs and weaves and even sneaks through time warping secret tunnels to escape them. Occasionally, they get the best of her, and she spins in despair and then folds up, three sounds sending her to her afterlife. She has two more chances, but alas, unless she grabs a golden orb, making her unstoppable, the ghosts prevent her from achieving her mission; a high score. Three initials forever to penetrate the winner’s list.

Every day I go after my yellow dots. Be it learning a new song, getting my steps right or just trying to go about my day doing what I love and coming out happy on the other side of it all. Just going up to the lunch buffet is a Ms. Pacman game in itself. I reach for the salad tongs, and someone grabs them before me, crossing to the hot food station with them, cross contaminating my hopes and dreams of a healthy meal. I have a watered down coffee, reach for the cream- empty. I put ranch dressing on my plate only to find out when I take a forkful on my cauliflower that it’s actually blue cheese dressing. Foiled again by my Inky of the food label department.

On and off stage there are many ghosts trying to spoil my fun, but my golden orb that makes me impenetrable is my performing. When that spotlight hits me I am untouchable, and most of all, happy.

We all have our golden orbs of power, that moment in time where nothing can touch us and we believe that anything can happen. We must always remember that the ghosts are around to get the better of us, but with a little perseverance, and perhaps a cute bow in our hair, we can beat them, and win.