We All Want What We Can't Have

            I'll be honest in saying that I don't know what this story is about or why in the world Louise Erdrich decided to write a story revolving around skunks. Perhaps my urban/suburban upbringing hinders me from truly grasping the longing for nature Erdrich rambled about for seven complete pages or perhaps I'm just trapped in a summer-induced lethargy, but either way, this story was beyond me. One portion of the story that did pique my interest, however, was the part about obstacles and desire.
            I guess I never realized how true the old saying "we want what we can't have" really is until I read this story. Everything Erdrich (or at least her character in this story) does is driven by some sort of unobtainable desire. Some sort of desire such as a job opportunity that was unobtainable in North Dakota must have driven her to leave her hometown and go to New Hampshire, but then as soon as she was 1500 miles away, she longed for everything she used to have. Her homesick desire drives her to find comfort in the woods of New Hampshire, and for a while, she was content. As soon as she came across the fence, however, she was no longer content. She had to get to the other side and feel the bark of the pines, not just look at them from afar.
           Many people would see this want-what-you-can't-have type of motivation as a negative thing. We use it to describe ignorant children more often than not, but it is prevalent in all our lives. Yesterday, I was watching How I Met Your Mother on TV, and in that episode, there was a perfect example of this attitude. Two of the main characters , Ted and Barney, are both ex's of another main character named Robin. Both had gotten over their relationships with her until she found a new boyfriend. Suddenly, they both realized they still had feelings for her and that they wanted her back. It was only when she became unavailable that they realized this. I realize that TV may not be the best source for an intellectual point, but this sort of stuff does happen even in small day-to-day occurrences that we don't even think about. It's perfectly natural, and I don't think it always has to be a bad thing.
           We remember people for the challenges or obstacles they have overcome. If everyone was content with what they had, no changes would be made, and the world would not be what it is today. Slaves desired freedom, which at the time seemed impossible, but through a long history of resistance against obstacles of persecution, they improved their lives significantly. This is prevalent in the story as well. In her dream Erdrich  describes the fence as impermeable, but once the desire to go beyond the fence sets in, she describes the fence as permeable, and she easily passes through.