What it is to be you

I laid down one afternoon and was listening to the Chick Corea Trio, when a stray thought crossed my mind. How strange would it be to a number of people I know to discover I love Jazz? In this information centric world in which we now live, just how much do we know about the people around us? And, would that information change our attitudes about them?

I recall a while back I was sent to a therapist to help me with my anxiety issues. Now I’d be the first one to tell you, I put up fronts when it comes to new people, even therapist. One day we were having a session and I made one of my cynical remarks about something. Anyway, the reply I got from him took me aback. He replied, “Do you always put up a wall of intellect? Or are you just trying to be something you’re not?” For a moment I was speechless and then I thought to myself, “What’s wrong with me trying to better myself?”

I suppose the point he was making was about my evading his questions with my cynical remarks. But at the time it reminded me of so many situations where others would question my reasons for bettering myself. Besides I’m the type of person that would just assume let the water row off the duck’s back, then pick a fight. Especially when it comes to debating other person’s core values. I’d rather look at the things we have in common then fuss about the difference in our prayer styles or sexual preferences.

While that therapist point was about being who we are. Is it required of us to expound our moral or ethical beliefs on everyone we can in contact with? Lord knows I may not agree with my favorite restaurant owners religious beliefs. But it doesn’t make me like his chicken sandwiches any less, (although it would be nice to get one on Sunday).

I suppose in a “go around the elbow to get to my thumb” way I’m trying to say. Each of us is who we are. Love it; hate it, that’s the way it is. In other words I may not see to your way of thinking. But it doesn’t mean I disrespect or dislike you. So friend, how about another chicken sandwich?      

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fail-Safe

Image
Through the paper-thin walls of this old house, I can hear my neighbors getting ready for another day. Laying here remember when I used to do that, working at night so I could take care of the kids, while my wife went to work. Yesterday sorta marked a tipping point for me I suppose. I finally got my consultation with the gastroenterologist. So we are working the set-up some tests my primary care physician has been wanting for me to have for months. While I would love nothing more than to tell my PCP, “I told you so”. But I suppose knowing is better than not knowing. Although I do find some comfort in ignorant bliss.  I get the impression some people feel I am an optimist. But I like to think of myself more as a realist. What some may mistake as optimism is actually nothing more than analytics. Where I breakdown a given situation and create a solution. That may sound cold and frankly less romantic. But you must understand, after living so long in a void of no emotion (du...
Read more

Child in the Sixties & Seventies

A couple of posts ago, I mentioned being a child in the sixties. Well just today a dear friend of mine reminded me about some of the things we had to do back then (1972) compared to today's average 10 year old (2012).  First you have to understand we had no cell or smartphones, internet, personal computers, or digital anything. No music downloads, CD's, DVD's, Dish Network, cable TV, or VCR's. By '72 I think we finally got an ABC station giving us 4 TV stations to pick up by the rabbit ears (ask your Grandparents). Also, if I remember right, we got our first color TV around '72, a 19" portable Sears Brand TV.  But before you sit there and think, "God, what did you do all day?" In the afternoons and summers we played...outside. I know it sounds crazy, but our parents your Grand & Great-grand parents let us outside. We all had bikes and after breakfast we hit the door not to be seen till dinner time. I was blessed to have grown up on a dead ...
Read more

A Little Poem

Morning Rain. Watched it begin to rain this morning Light, then heavy and strong And from my limited view I thought How perfect I lite my pipe and drank my joe Watching the smoke rings As they hit the top of the pouch and thought How perfect Looking out I thought of nothing Simple watching the raindrops Come over the edge and hit the steps, thinking How perfect Even from one's limited view, one can see perfection It may be a bird on a branch, or a child at play Still, it is perfection In such an imperfect world How perfect FD Thornton, 2012
Read more