Most of us don’t just want simple happiness; we want intensity. We want to feel that sense of existential urgency you get when you are engrossed in some meaningful project.
— David Brooks, from “The New Old Age” in The Atlantic, August 25, 2023
My best friend has fallen on extremely hard times between their work dicking them around and their mental health suffering. They’re genuinely terrified of not being able to pay their bills and ending up houseless. The situation is extremely serious. their goal is $1,150, please donate if you can or share this, thank you so much.
Author: Autobot2001
Genre: Fanfiction
Fandom: Transformers
Rating: E
Warnings: None
Pairing: None
Description: A walk to relax doesn't go as planned for Crosshairs and Drift.
Day 9;
@fluffyfebruary: Storm
@fluffbruary: urgency | kneel | rural
While Jamie is with friends, Crosshairs and Drift go for a walk. Since the property is in a rural area far from humans, they decide to walk in their bipedal form and stretch their legs. They're trying to keep relaxed, which means the walk lacks conversation. Even if they talk about something else, they talk about how worried they are about Jamie. They walk across the grass rather than a path in the woods.
Crosshairs worries about how much stress is weighing on Drift. Considering his shower thirty minutes ago only helped a little. Even if a shower helps Drift, he had a small amount of relief two days ago.
Unbeknownst to Crosshairs, Drift continues to worry about Jamie despite his silence.
Tears form in Drift's optics as the two walk across the field. He falls to his knees. Crosshairs hears the thump behind him. He turns around, worried about why Drift would be on the ground. He sees Drift kneeling on both knees. He does the same in front of Drift and hugs his friend. Drift hugs him and gives in to crying. Crosshairs is no longer relaxed, knowing how upset Drift is.
So much for being relaxed, Crosshairs thinks. We need to figure out something. This isn't good for us or Jamie if she finds out how much we're struggling to watch her struggle mentally.
The next thing the two know, it's pouring down on them. While the rain won't damage them, like humans, they would rather not get drenched in rain. They get up and run towards the driveway. Needing to transform and activate their holoform to get into the house. They run with urgency.
The storm continues as the two reach the driveway and transform. The short distance from their alt mode to inside the house still leaves their holoforms soaked. They both smile at the other's soaked hair. Crosshairs tells Drift to take a relaxing bath.
Something to help him relax. Crosshairs sighs. Even if it's temporary, as I can already feel my stress rising.
He follows Drift upstairs. Grabbing a towel to dry his hair from the bathroom before Drift undresses.
Once in dry clothes, he sits on his bed, thinking about anything he can do to help his friends.
Be unmoved. There are few true problems in life that require true urgency. Be the force that shows others this, the calm in the storm.
Good morning. It is the 12th of January. Everything is a fake little crisis these days. People have forgotten what actually needs to be urgent, and what can wait. Historically speaking, the abundance we experience and the lack of true emergencies is extremely new. We have not had the time to acclimate to it in generational terms. We have no blood memory of such good times. This leaves people anxious. Without an outlet for our emergent energy, our crisis-oriented brains summon dark shadows in daylight, creating problems that do not exist. We ring the alarm for minor annoyances. We walk onto the lake before it is frozen just to scream out that we nearly drowned. You see this with your colleagues, your neighbors, and maybe even your family. Breathe and slow everything around you. As those around you become increasingly frantic and anxious, speak slower, allow for beats in conversation, do not reply with breathless rapidity. Be unmoved. There are few true problems in life that require true urgency. Be the force that shows others this, the calm in the storm.
— Ryan B. Anderson (@OldHollowTree, January 12, 2024)