Spinning

Spinning

We spin left,
we spin right,
we twist our truth
so it might
make the thorns
feel less sharp,
and turn nettles
into art.

We pick cherries precisely
the moment they're ripe,
spurn yellow and green ones
that are eager to fight.
We pick what we eat,
then spit,
then polish the pits.

We build us a foe man,
we stuff him with straw.
Then we mock him in public,
knock him down low,
declare ourselves champions
of a fight just for show.

We draw closed circles,
claim they are whole.
The start proves the end,
the end proves the goal.
We spin them and spin them,
with nothing to show,
round and round till we stagger,
reeling dizzy below.

Escape the Spin Cycle

It is difficult to admit when we are wrong. It is even more difficult to admit we might be stuck in a circular pattern of being wrong, spinning around the same mistake and convincing ourselves it still points to the truth. The spin feels safe at first. It shields us from thorns, from hard questions, from the bruises of doubt. But left unchecked, it becomes a cycle of self-destruction that leaves us dizzy and disoriented.

Psychologist Leon Festinger first described cognitive dissonance as the tension we feel when reality conflicts with our beliefs. Rather than confront the tension, we often twist the facts to preserve our comfort. Philosopher Karl Popper argued that progress depends on our willingness to disprove ourselves. Real growth comes when we allow evidence to correct us instead of spinning it to fit.

Breaking free starts with slowing down. Instead of twisting every fact to match our story, we can sit with the discomfort of contradiction. We can ask ourselves: What if I am wrong? What if I have been polishing pits instead of planting seeds?That pause cracks the circle open.

From there, we can seek out perspectives that challenge us rather than flatter us. We can value truth over victory and humility over pride. Escaping the spin cycle is not about never stumbling; it is about refusing to chase the dizzying loop of self-deception. When we learn to step outside the circle, we can finally walk forward.