At this time of day I would have expected a few more likes and a comment or two! Okay, it is Labor Day week end. Bigger fish to fry. At least for anglers. Or was it a “Blake Quake?” Again, to me you have woven a complex, erudite story today. With you at each comment. I do think further contemplation by me of Blake’s “Friendship through opposition” is in order. Thanks for the challenge to my thinking/being.
You are welcome. I too am taken with the idea of "Friendship through Opposition". I had the opportunity to try out the phrase in relationship to authenticity in a morning call. What I wondered out loud is...."Has my process of writing, being challenged, thinking and responding helped me to become authentic. Yes! Can I be of more service to others as an authentic person rather than the 'people pleaser' I was? Yes! Can we be in service to each other by challenging the status quo? Yes!
How'd I get so lucky to have these conversations? 😊
Daan—I really appreciate the simple way you expressed the idea of ‘true friendship in opposition’. As a recovering people pleaser, I love this new perspective.
Henny follows a Labrador on Instagram who posts lots of photos of wrestling matches at the dog park with cations like—we fought hard today, so much fun. What if humans can change the story around conflict— make it about joy and growth for all?
“I can imagine no more comfortable frame of mind for the conduct of life than a humorous resignation.” W. Somerset Maugham
I never saw the film, but I did see the local high school’s production of The Adams Family. The show was great! Yes—the sycophant line is so relevant!😂
Were a lot of women in my age range brought up to be quiet and cooperative—which makes for smooth sailing, but valuable input is lost? Men, too?
Yes men too. In my work as a therapist, I ran couples workshops and one exercise in particular showed many men how they would bend over backwards to not 'upset' their partner when what she wanted was to have someone strong to push against and be 'present'. There's a big difference between that (being strong and present) and being overbearing.
Ahhh! This is a great conversation. You offer a perspective I would not have thought of. Of course many men learned not to upset their wives.
Today I read a short article to my husband and we discussed what we thought it “meant”. I was fascinated to learn he had taken a very different message away than I had. What would be really interesting is to know what the author intended!
At this time of day I would have expected a few more likes and a comment or two! Okay, it is Labor Day week end. Bigger fish to fry. At least for anglers. Or was it a “Blake Quake?” Again, to me you have woven a complex, erudite story today. With you at each comment. I do think further contemplation by me of Blake’s “Friendship through opposition” is in order. Thanks for the challenge to my thinking/being.
A Blake Quake?
You are welcome. I too am taken with the idea of "Friendship through Opposition". I had the opportunity to try out the phrase in relationship to authenticity in a morning call. What I wondered out loud is...."Has my process of writing, being challenged, thinking and responding helped me to become authentic. Yes! Can I be of more service to others as an authentic person rather than the 'people pleaser' I was? Yes! Can we be in service to each other by challenging the status quo? Yes!
How'd I get so lucky to have these conversations? 😊
So true, Gail. A true friend is one who is true to you and to themselves, which means honesty in communication. Thank you.
Daan—I really appreciate the simple way you expressed the idea of ‘true friendship in opposition’. As a recovering people pleaser, I love this new perspective.
Henny follows a Labrador on Instagram who posts lots of photos of wrestling matches at the dog park with cations like—we fought hard today, so much fun. What if humans can change the story around conflict— make it about joy and growth for all?
“I can imagine no more comfortable frame of mind for the conduct of life than a humorous resignation.” W. Somerset Maugham
Thank you, Gail. I'm reminded of an exchange in the movie 'The Adams Family':
"What sort of sycophant are you?"
"What sort of sycophant do you want me to be?"
Most of us are nowhere near this level of pleasing others, but most of us are somewhere on the spectrum.
And a propos of Maugham: even in opposition we can stay light and employ humour.
I never saw the film, but I did see the local high school’s production of The Adams Family. The show was great! Yes—the sycophant line is so relevant!😂
Were a lot of women in my age range brought up to be quiet and cooperative—which makes for smooth sailing, but valuable input is lost? Men, too?
Yes men too. In my work as a therapist, I ran couples workshops and one exercise in particular showed many men how they would bend over backwards to not 'upset' their partner when what she wanted was to have someone strong to push against and be 'present'. There's a big difference between that (being strong and present) and being overbearing.
Ahhh! This is a great conversation. You offer a perspective I would not have thought of. Of course many men learned not to upset their wives.
Today I read a short article to my husband and we discussed what we thought it “meant”. I was fascinated to learn he had taken a very different message away than I had. What would be really interesting is to know what the author intended!