Only

I heard it on the radio. I was driving, the usual place I listen to the radio, when someone said, ”only’.’ They way they said it and the way they used it made me want to respond. ”only’?’ A lot of possibilities sit on the other side of ‘only’. Eventually, I found a safe time and place to make the note, but I forgot who said it or why. Sigh. And then, I started hearing it so often that it made me discount much of what people said – even regarding money.

If only, these people would wise up, or those people would do something or stop doing what they’re doing… 
If only, everyone gave $5… Sounds like money is most important.|
If only, people were better prepared… But it is impossible to prepare for everything.
If only, people were kinder, or stronger, or both… Unless they’re already at their limit.
If only, people pulled themselves up by their bootstraps. But maybe they don’t have bootstraps.
If only, people and businesses paid their taxes… Which they should, and evidently don’t, either by choice, or necessity, or ignorance.
If only, we switched to totally sustainable energy, farming, diets, etc.
If only, things were different. Well, yeah, duh. If things were different, things would be different.

‘Only’ is one of those words that can cover insurmountable efforts, incredible hurdles, fallacies, dreams, and disasters. There is an infinity  of IFs in an ‘only’.

For one day ‘only’…
For $x in ‘only’ several payments…

I’m playing with this word and mentioning it here because I’m recognizing that a lot of life is in ‘only’ this or ‘only’ that.

Skip the details. Rather than list too many instances of ‘only’, it is easier to suggest intentionally listening to what is actually said. ‘only’ discounts the rest of the sentence. 

‘Only’ can also bring honesty to advice. Strong declarative sentences are in fashion. Just listen to politics. Except for fundraisers, ‘only’ is left out of most sentences. If ‘only’ suggests there is more than one possibility. Sales pitches employ those possibilities in fear marketing, and a lot of marketing is fear marketing. Don’t miss out. You must take this medication. Society counts on you to do what we ask you to do. Feeling the anxiety? Feeling the pressure? Ah, but they say, if ‘only’ people would listen.

Of course, ‘only’ has other uses, but I hear ‘only’ in enough advertisements that it has gone past having the intended effect.

I pause in this less-than-literary post because I reflect on how many people are manipulated without realizing it. I guess two political parties trying to make it easy to see their point of view, ‘only’, has me reflecting on the people I know who live intentional lives, or at least try. Go back to one interpretation of frugality: respecting people, resources, and the world around us. Live sustainably. They impress me.

If ‘only’ more people would be like them.