Highway to Hell

Introduction

Helen Keller once wrote in her famous essay, "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement" (Keller, 1903). Like most middle-aged married women, Nadine – the main character in "Nadine at 35: A Synopsis" – faces many of the common problems that exist in a family with kids. However, it is her pessimism and passive lack of interest that exacerbate these problems, causing them to spiral out of control. Her consistent focus on minor, irrelevant issues prevents her from seeing what is happening around her family and from fighting to find a solution. If Nadine were to direct as much attention to her family as she does to her "oozed-out" brain cells, perhaps she would encounter fewer problems and have a healthier relationship with her husband.

The Illusion of Control

The fact that Nadine repeatedly mentions the ongoing loss of her brain cells and vocabulary, whether an actual physical condition or simply a metaphor for aging, certainly does not help the situation. Her blindness to the real problems that occur around her every day is the reason for her feeling like she has no control over the fate of her life, which is why she continuously fools herself into tackling the wrong problem. Throughout this short story, Nadine lists several accomplishments, such as finding a job, buying a car, and renting a housekeeper. Although these changes are positive and can often be helpful when trying to move on and make a change, she doesn't seem to mention putting any effort into first figuring out why she is in the place she is in, which obviously is not a very happy one. She is in a race against time, but she forgets to stop for a second to make sure that her shoes are even on right. By neglecting to address the root causes of her dissatisfaction, Nadine remains trapped in a cycle of superficial change without meaningful progress.

Reevaluating Relationships

Nadine's love life is clearly not very successful both during and after her husband's "escape," but once again, she puts the blame on the wrong things. Her "word loss" and large family are definitely not the reason her husband left, and also do not have to stop her from trying to find a new lover instead of resigning to celibacy. Some would say that according to the Law of Attraction, this is bound to happen (Byrne, 2006). She cannot expect to find what she is looking for if she constantly thinks of all the reasons why it cannot happen; it is a fool's errand. Perhaps a change in her outlook on the world could help her with her feelings of exhaustion and lack of energy and would stop her from feeling surprised when she feels joy, like when she describes her job. By cultivating a more positive mindset, Nadine could open herself up to new possibilities and experiences.

The Futility of Quick Fixes

Buying new objects, getting haircuts, and engaging in temporary pleasures are temporary solutions to escape real, life-long problems. They provide a short period of joy instead of first trying to work out what causes the sadness in the first place. Nadine herself admits that "she didn't even know he was lost" when her husband left. Instead of asking herself, "Why is this happening?" and "What can I do to change this?" she proceeds to ramble on about their changing bodies. The way she can escape this vicious cycle and regain control over the important things in her life is to ask herself what she is doing wrong and what she can change, rather than putting blame on things she cannot control, like time. She needs to realize that constantly reminding herself of the many things she is losing will only bring forth more feelings of loss rather than feelings of gain. Changing your attitudes towards life changes your relation to time and what it represents. By focusing on personal growth and self-awareness, Nadine could transform her life from one of resignation to one of empowerment.

Conclusion

As George Clinton of "Funkadelic" once said, "You rise as high as your dominant aspiration, you descend to the level of your lowest concept of yourself" (Clinton, 1978). This statement is important to remember and applies directly to Nadine’s life. The proof lies in her tone and pessimistic style of presenting life. Seeing her basic responsibilities as a mother in such a negative way and not wanting to fight for what is right for her is the very reason she constantly feels lost and out of control. Having a “what the hell?” attitude towards life does not fix any problems and is about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike. Unless she realizes this and focuses her energy on fixing her actual problems, Nadine will continue straight ahead on this not-so-satisfactory road until she eventually really does run out of time. By embracing optimism and actively seeking solutions, Nadine can chart a new course for her life, one filled with purpose and fulfillment.

References

• Byrne, R. (2006). The Secret. Atria Books.
• Clinton, G. (1978). One Nation Under a Groove [Song]. In One Nation Under a Groove. Warner Bros. Records.
• Keller, H. (1903). Optimism: An Essay. T. Y. Crowell & Co.