“When you walk the streets, you’ll have no cares. If you walk the lines and not the squares.
As you go through life make this your goal- Watch the donut, not the hole!” Excerpted lyrics from “The Donut Song”, circa 1950. As performed by the late great American folk singer Burl Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 – April 14, 1995).
“Watch the donut, not the hole” is actually a metaphor that encourages focusing on the present, what you have, and not getting caught up in what you wish you had or what’s missing. It’s about embracing what is and finding joy in the “donut,” part of your life even if there are some perceived “holes” along the way.
My that was a very Dunkin’ deep observation and Krispy Kreme correlation. Surely such a profound comparison of life’s desires and doughnut holes will come into play under current title consideration. Then again, maybe not. Mayhap that was just a random thing. Because along with donut holes life has those too.
Most everyone is familiar with the faux educational establishment known as the “School of Hard Knocks”. (If you don’t… then pay attention and we’ll bring you up to speed). Some of you may be active students working towards graduation from this long-established university of high learning. Some may be lifetime attendees. As for myself, alumni status and continuing education are claimed due to an early misconception of the phrase itself. Assuming that this type of education implied learning fighting and survival skills by being beaten up. Which in some cases it does… ergo I’ve learned so much.
Later, to learn the hard way, of course (through embarrassment and correction) that like the donut hole thing, the School of Hard Knocks is simply another metaphor. It doesn’t imply any type of formal education, scholarly institution or center around physical abuse, but rather that you learn things firsthand (most commonly life lessons) as a result of difficult or unpleasant experiences.
Or you have to figure out things for yourself. Because no one took the time to explain them to you… or you weren’t paying attention. The latter is to blame for mine own ignorant misconception of the “universal donut”.
To be fair, youthful ignorance was on my side in overhearing an adult conversation. Of which two identifiable words caught my preoccupied with Legos attention- universal and donut. The conceived imagined imagery which followed and filled my young mind knew no bounds.
Wow, a universal donut?!? What was that? Where was that? And how could I get one?
Was it a donut so colossally big there was enough for everyone in the universe to share? Was it a type of donut that everyone in the universe liked? Krispy Kreme standard glazed while the hot donut light was on gets my vote to this day. Or was it just one donut, like a pastry McGuffin? That always tasted fresh, never got hard or stale and everyone in the universe desired to possess.
The possibilities were limitless… where donuts were concerned anyway.
Years later, when confronted with replacing a toilet in my own home. I finally beheld as I held a universal donut. My gawd, the disappointment was devastating.
Before my eyes- a firm, yet malleable wax ring (many are plastic nowadays). Which would seal the connection between toilet and septic line. “Universal” because it could be molded to fit any toilet. “Donut” because of its shape. In this instance, you have to watch the hole not the donut in order to line it up properly. New or used, they’re gross and probably inedible- not sure what you folks find tasty. Yet another lesson learned in that hard knocking way.
I know- where the Helsinki Sweden are we going with all this?
Well, it’s a hard knocks lesson for sure. Like the metaphorical diddy we began with says- we should enjoy the donut we have. Not worrying about the nothing that is the hole.
But is it really nothing? Or is it our portal to the world around us? Filled with daydreams, hard knocks and horrors? To ignore it would seem foolish. So perhaps we should, on occasion, make the hole a little bigger. Take a chunk out to see what’s behind it and if it still fits the pipe.
I welcome almost all questions, comments via Focus, or email me at wanderingchainsaw@gmail.com. Hope to hear from ya, until then try and stay focused! See ya.
