Between a Rock...and a Hard Place

It's an interesting expression. Synonymous with expressions like, "Darned if you do. Darned if you don't."(paraphrase--my mother reads this blog) Or "The lesser of two evils"...that sort of thing.

Universally, I believe it is considered a negative expression. A fatalistic one. But I've been thinking this evening (morning, actually) that maybe it doesn't have to be completely negative, depending on the circumstances.

Maybe it's cozy and safe between the rock and the hard place. Maybe it's sheltered from the elements. Maybe the rock is hard, and the hard place is...wait for it...hard, but the ground between the two is soft. Maybe the person between the rock and the hard place is so neatly and seamlessly fit between those places, that he/she has no idea it's an uncomfortable or undesirable place. Maybe he or she is able to go long periods of time not even feeling the oppressing presence of either the rock or the hard place. That wouldn't be so bad. I'd imagine that the rock only feels oppressive when paired with the hard place. Without the hard place, the rock is security, shelter, shade, something to climb and explore. It's simply a rock. Or even better, it's all the beauty and majesty and wonder that a good rock can be.

The problem therein lies when eventually, the presence of either the rock, or the hard place is made known. The person turns, needs to stretch, or because of outside forces, either the rock or the hard place move and press in. The seamless fit is gone. The security and protection and safeness are gone. And the rock and the hard place loom bigger than they ever have before.

I retract my earlier optimism. I'm going with universal thinking on this one. Being between a rock and a hard place stinks.