Blocks of Stone and Rubber Balls

Humorous and the humorless coexist.  You know what I’m talking about.  Those whose approach to life is so serious that a heart attack would seem docile in comparison.  Then there’s the other extreme; everything presents the opportunity to crack a joke or say something funny.

Neither extreme is optimal all the time.  You can’t be a block of stone just as you can’t be a rubber ball.  Absorption is important sometimes as is being impervious.

“Ah come on man, you’re too up tight.  Chill out!”  You’ve heard that phrase.  You’ve probably used it on occasion with mixed results.  Maybe you’re taking something more seriously than the perpetrator is willing to acknowledge.  Sometimes it’s deflection.  Some people are sponges when it comes to confrontation.  They absorb every iota of feedback and begin to feel the need to apologize.  But the apology is hollow because the action or activity is repeated to the dismay of the recipient of the meaningless apology.  You get the stock response hoping you’ll go away.  Being persistent can be a struggle – more energy than you want to expend.  You can’t always avoid the responsibility of being the needle.  It’s not my favorite thing to do but shirking responsibility isn’t an acceptable escape hatch.

Some people can’t help themselves.  They have a dysfunction, a penchant for stumbling or failing.  I think it’s called fatalism and it is interesting to watch events unfold that become all too predictable.

I experience a mixture of those emotions everyday; mostly at the office.  You can see it coming a mile away.  Well maybe not a mile; my sight isn’t that acute.  You know what I mean, right?

“Yeah we know what you mean but do you know what you mean?”  That’s a question I pose.  Feels funny having it turned in my direction.  Just as the extremes I’ve mentioned above you’ve encountered people who exaggerate to make a point.  You’ve got to discern to determine how much of what’s being laid down you want to pick up.  Attitudes and approaches to various situations can be self-serving.  You get it.  The only way to get attention is to overinflate the balloon of a problem.

Remember what fills that balloon.  If you keep that in mind you will understand why you can get sucked into situations that benefit you not.  Sometimes a hatpin is the best solution.  Not a literal one; a figurative one.  Keep the balloon from rising.  Instead puncture the thin film separating the sensational from realism and you’ll be in a better position to address the root cause without being distracted by the window dressing.

Find balance and you’ll rarely be shocked.  Nor will you become a casualty in someone else’s destructive attitude.

Use your talents to protect what you treasure and at the end of the day you will emerge whole and with most of your sanity.

Enjoy hump day.

Love and hugs, Nikki DiCaro