. . . and make up for those two lost blog posts (see previous post).
Anyway, I'm babysitting the granddaughter today, which (among other things) involved me picking her up from her dance class (aka "twirling and stomping" lesson, as he mother says). Long story short, the granddaughter wasn't happy to see me walk through the door. She wanted her mom, and I just wasn't gonna cut it with her. So she flung herself on the ground and commenced tragic crying.
The young teacher swung into action and told me not to "take it personally." I thought this was very kind of her, and yes. It made me smile. Because at my advanced age I have NOT had any experience with unhappy pre-schoolers.
I never take children's fits personally. And, in fact, I don't take a lot of things personally anymore. I'm not sure why. Maybe I've just gotten older? Or stupider? Or tone deaf-er? Or tired-er? Who knows? (Although I'd like to hear your thoughts on why this has happened.)
All I can say is this: not taking things personally is much less exhausting than taking everything personally. I recommend it.
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4 comments:
I DO take everything personally, and I agree, it is exhausting. Do you have, like, a twelve step program to stop? I could probably use it. HOWEVER. It's possible that taking things personally might be one of my superpowers, and I use it to fuel some other important activity. I hate to tinker with that business. The soul is like a well-oiled machine, man.
Nice of that lady to give you unsought personal advice, though.
I aspire to be too tired, err wise, to take things personally. You are my guru.
There's the theory that for the first decade of life, everything is personal because... survival. And for the next decade, we're just selfish, so Personal = Actual. Then in our 20s we want everyone's approval (because, you know, branching out), and in our 30s we sort of get over that need for the WHOLE WORLD'S approval (theoretically), and then the following decades are a natural progression of "Oh, how nice that you think so" to "What makes you think *I* care?"
(Or so I've heard.)
(Or maybe I just made it all up.)
(But it's hopeful.)
(For me.)
Yes. I have noticed as I've gotten older I don't take things personally anymore. I think it's a mixture of perspective and exhaustion. The truth is, I just don't have time anymore to care.
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