We’re SO interesting, I am just so fascinated by us, by the things we do and the reasons we have. I love people, I love BEING a person (and hope to be one a long, long time.) That is probably my own largest draw to this particular little ‘place’ – it provides me with a larger group of people to interact with, a greater human connection than I would otherwise encounter on a daily basis, and with a built-in commonality. I often wonder if it is so with most other people – if being in this profession leaves an unmet need in our human condition for connection.
I like to learn, and there’s much to learn here. I also like to be helpful when I can, because I believe in balance, and there’s a satisfaction to the need for affirmation – an undeniable aspect of being human. The connection being limited to the written word places a long grocery list of specific conditions that I try to be mindful of. The proverbial pen is pretty mighty, from both sides. The sense of ‘anonymity’ some might design for themselves creates a fear-based existence, and these people tend to experience the very things that they’re most fearful of. Escaping the reality of connection, they experience the uncloaked wrath of others far more often and more readily, from what I have observed.
We all have a Story, everyone has a story. In always trying to keep that in the front of my mind – and in taking the perspective that *this* is all REAL (you are real, what you say is real, the anger or the kindness is real, the human connection is REAL), I find it a lot easier to feel more compassion and less self-righteousness. And some days, that can become quite a test for me here – it’s not that I don’t ever FEEL self-righteous, or frustrated, or disgusted or angry. Feelings can’t be judged right or wrong – only how you act on them. What you say, what you do.
We humans like to relate things – it’s just part of the O.S. My son, as a young child, had ‘special needs’ as they say. Brilliant, and way on the outside left margin of eccentric, and EXTREMELY difficult. Perhaps one of the greatest of the bazillion lessons I’ve learned relative to him is this – It’s HARD, BEING HIM. When I come across a person who presents themselves harshly, with anger, bitterness, meanness – I think “It must be hard, to be them.” I wonder what their Story is. I see them as Real.
Relating it this way, I am able to NOT engage my own negative emotions, but instead I can feel some empathy, I can feel compassion, I can easily ‘let it go’. I’m quite smarmy, yes I know – but knowing how humans work, there will be those who will take me differently, if they relate to the ‘special needs’ child thing, and they will be more apt to believe the smarminess is genuine, and not be quite so turned off. My point is this – EVERYONE has a Story. Just ASSUME they do, and see them as Real, and try not to experience them so negatively, because it’s your experience too – why make it negative?
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| Messages in this Thread |
|  What is a good poster vs. an excellent poster? - SueW/Tn on 6/3/06 1:46pm |
|  Re:One never forgets how someone made them feel! n/m -  LkArrowhd/CA on 6/3/06 1:53pm |
| Re: Very well stated, I agree totally, but for those who are - Keisha_NC on 6/3/06 2:04pm |
| Re: What is a good poster vs. an excellent poster? - Ruby on 6/3/06 2:09pm |
|  Re: Ruby is that you in Running Springs? n/m - LkArrowhd/CA on 6/3/06 2:16pm |
| Re: What is a good poster vs. an excellent poster? - Brenda/CA on 6/3/06 2:50pm |
|  Re:Well said Brenda CA - LkArrowhd/CA on 6/3/06 3:05pm |
|  I respectfully disagree - janCA on 6/3/06 3:53pm |
|  hmmmmmm... - SueW/Tn on 6/3/06 4:08pm |
|  Re: hmmmmmm...yes HUMMMMMMMMM this has brought many - LkArrowhd/CA on 6/3/06 4:12pm |
| I agree with a few of your points, BUT... - MichiganAl on 6/3/06 5:46pm |
| Re: I agree with a few of your points, BUT... - SueW/Tn on 6/3/06 6:12pm |
| Re: Sue so glad you began this thread, it has offered up - LkArrowhd/CA on 6/3/06 8:29pm |
| Re: I agree with a few of your points, BUT... - BrendaTx on 6/3/06 11:04pm |
| Re: I agree with a few of your points, BUT... - John_NorCal on 6/3/06 11:37pm |
| Re: What is a good poster vs. an excellent poster? - whitesatin on 6/3/06 10:09pm |
 | Excellent discussion, Sue and everyone =) - ReneeK_MI on 6/4/06 6:54am |
| Re: Excellent discussion, Sue and everyone =) - whitesatin on 6/4/06 2:22pm |
| Re: Excellent discussion - Renee is an excellent writer and - BrendaTx on 6/4/06 3:35pm |
| You are also correct Renee' - getting windy & OT aren't we? - Anonymous from 24.250.160.59 on 6/4/06 3:28pm |
| I wish I knew who you were, because this post is brilliant. n/m - MichiganAl on 6/4/06 6:52pm |
| Re: I wish I knew who you were, because this post is brilliant. - LkArrowhd/CA on 6/4/06 8:13pm |
| I wasn't really trying to figure it out... - MichiganAl on 6/4/06 10:01pm |
| ah, but compassion does not a patsy make ... - ReneeK_MI on 6/5/06 4:34am |
