My Moma said that life is like a box of chocolates

My Moma said that life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.

That was Forrest Gump’s mom’s rubbish advice. Of course she wasn’t wrong, but she never finished the sentence. Where’s the lesson in merely getting a big surprise?

I’d say it’s something like this: ‘even though you never know what you’re gonna get, make sure you always have comprehensive insurance, learn who not to trust and invest in the finest underwear.’ So then, if you’re knocked over by a bus you’re covered, you have the requisite support.

I used to think that what distinguishes us from other great apes is our ability to do forward planning. Then I watched a wildlife documentary about how bonobos and gorillas save tools for later use and I was humbled.

The thing that redeems humans, I guess, is that we can decide what not to do in the future. I’ll bet zoologists have not been able to verify whether other great apes can backtrack on things that they know will backfire.

Next time I have a box of chocolates I’m gonna give it to a gorilla - Fringe