Second Fiddle

I once knew a teacher who occasionally used the word ‘fiddle'. If perhaps he deemed something untrue or irrelevant; or if annoyed by students or otherwise disagreeable, he would simply say, “fiddlesticks”. In the instrumental world of music, a fiddle is a violin. Have you read that Emperor Nero fiddled while Rome burned? And I once heard about a musical called, “Fiddler On The Roof”. But this is not the kind of fiddle that presently occupies my brain. In nautical usage, a fiddle is a frame or railing on a ship’s table to keep dishes from falling off in rough weather. But 'fiddle’ of the high seas is not what I’m thinking about. There’s such broad usage of a most simple word. Very interesting. Why, this most interesting word also addresses, ‘waste of time’. It also refers to being in excellent health, like ‘fit as a fiddle’. O forbid that I should fiddle like Nero and ‘let things burn’. May I always be productive, never given to ‘wasting time’. But let me be energetic, useful, caring, and ‘fit as a fiddle’. The word ‘fiddle’ also expresses one acting in a subordinate position, such as, ‘play second fiddle’. Finally! This is the ‘fiddle’ that I am talking about. If you have always been on top and driven to be number one or else, then perhaps the two spot is not for you. If you said 'no' when offered a VP position, or if you would never show up for a 6th man award, then second fiddle is not a good fit for you. Nevertheless, at some point, we all must ask the Gatorade question, “Is it in you? ” It took me a while. After many years, I discovered a pattern in my life, and have come to believe that the pattern revealed the purpose of my life. Understanding my purpose brought great peace. cj02122014 PS Post 01082018