As a child, I hating going into our basement. It was dark and I feared the bogey man was lurking in the shadows. No matter what Mom and Dad said, I was terrified. Even though, deep down I knew the bogey man didn’t exist and certainly wasn’t in our basement, I was still terrified.
Fear and anxiety can be both rationale and irrational. And yet, it always feels rationale to person experiencing it. So when we belittle the other for what we think is irrational, we help no one.
Change is often the same. Those impacted by the change have both rationale and irrational fear and anxiety about it. Rarely does giving a rationale response help. And belittling never does. And yet, these are the two most common responses to those experiencing the fear.
Perhaps it’s time to try another way. To sit with the other in the anxiety and fear. Or to travel with them ‘down the metaphorical stairs’. Or perhaps, as my Mom often did, we need to ‘stand at the top of the stairs’ cheering the other on.
Some form of empathy is always the best choice if we care about the other.
The choice is up to us.
My 4am content consumption hit hard this am
So thank you for that
For me it was my Uncle Casey’s basement bedroom in my Mothers parents little house in Hamilton.
First of all he had a HABS jersey hanging on his wall, that one’s self expanatory. But for some unexplained reason he had a fishing net hanging on his wall (assume it has to do with being fishers of men)
The basement was a dungeon, and his room scared the crap out of me.
Last 20 yrs have been a ride for sure, but I’ve decided to create a circle of people who simply will cheer when I win. The wold is full of way too many people who will actually cheer when they see people lose. It’s breaks the hearts of all the sensitive people for sure.
So when you describe Lonny standing at the top of the stairs cheering you on, I imagine my creator standing above me cheering me on. When I “win” (something about running the race set before us blablabla)
I really hope you receive these comments. I’ve decided to carve out a piece of my morning to encourage you in your work. Cause it’s hard work I’ve come to realize.
I have way too many sticks in the fire right now, so I think this weekend im gonna pare down my social media presence down to a couple accounts. It’ll be more efficient and effective this way. Maybe while I watch the funeral on our new federal holiday on Monday. Kidding, will be working.
Gonna send this to Toeby’s outlook email, I pray it doesn’t end up I your junk folder, cause I might take offense to that.
And believe me when I say I’m cheering for you when you win from across the pond.
I realize now your blog is your way of expressing your thoughts and ideas in a very tangible way, and it’s your way of expanding your influence
I choose to do the same, but by posting ridiculously silly cat videos in order to convey my message to my target audience (teens)
Think it’s time to reread your published novel again
Been awhile
Your Old Friend
Gonna be late for morning meeting, yeah I work 7 days a week.