Choose NOT To Get on The Negativity Train

Illustration by =NightWhiteLion

One dreary evening, I saw an old train huffing and puffing towards me. An outer garb of lucent fog embraced it. As it approached, it screeched to a halt and when it finally stopped, a door of the train was positioned exactly in front of me, as if I was standing behind an upright mirror.

Moments later, the door opened and out walked a lanky gentlemen dressed in a violet suit, sporting a black silk tie.

Expressionless, he casually walked down a couple steps. He paused, took a look at me and asked for my ticket…

Oddly and as is always the case, I had a cart of tickets stacked to the brim right beside me. And yet, the conductor only needed one for admission.

After his inquiry for my ticket, a sweaty mist seeped out of my pores. After all, I had about a thousand of them yet really did not want to get on that train. It was the last thing I wanted to do; though, I did feel a strange draw to it.

Just as I was about to do the familiar and lean over to stick my hand into that dreaded cart of tickets, I decided this was a no go – not this time.

As I turned back around to take a look at him, he noticed my peculiar pause. There was an odd sense of hope and anticipation in his expression as if it was truly important to him that I get on that train. A smirk began to unfold on my face that moments before was more like a piece of chiseled ice… I made a point of looking directly into his eyes. After a few seconds of standing still and him waiting, I knew this was not what he expected.

I felt our silent pause had come to an end and began to speak… “Oh, we’re going to get on that train of negativity alright,” I said loudly. As I said this, his eyebrow flinched; he was slightly confused; I detected what almost seemed like a tinge of fear.

I intensified my look at him and continued, “Are you ready for my negativity train??” Without a moments pause, I stuck my hand into my right pocket and pulled out a forest green book of matches. I freely broke off a match and gracefully stroked it against the rough surface. What followed was a whisk from the glowing flame that erupted; I could see a reflection of it shining in his deceptively friendly eyes.. The flame of the match was flickering in concert with my minds determined yet calm wavelengths.

“Are you ready to hop on board?” I said as I held the match in front of my face between my eyes. I then flung the match into the cart of tickets beside me and watched it erupt into a ball of fire, just like the effect Japanese chefs make on the flat cooking surface to impress the patrons…

We both seemed to stare as the cart went up in flames. There was a circle of illumination that encapsulated our immediate surroundings. I turned back around and looked into his face waiting anxiously for his response. He turned around without saying a single word, climbed the steps and quietly closed the door behind him. The train then sped off, and all that was left was the trade mark, “choo choo“  roaring in its wake.

Remember — you always have a choice. You do not have to get on the negativity train.

Do what I did. You’ll be glad you did.

Illustration by ~Wiktor1993