Learn from a Grouch?
But how? and why?
Everyone (and everything!) can be a valuable lesson if we so choose. And there do seem to be lots of Grouchy role models to choose from:
Oscar, the Grinch, the Grumpy cat, Scrooge, Maxine, Garfield, Lucy, Eeyore…
AND, maybe, even a relative, or the boss, or…YOU?
Maybe we can not only learn lessons on how to live, but also how not to live!
Oscar here shows us how quickly we can change our feelings. He’s a living breathing zen koan, a paradox who purports to “hate being happy” and “love being miserable.”
Ludicrous as this might seem, we really know we are all trapped in our own version of this psychological hamster wheel. Our life keeps changing, as do our feelings. From happiness to misery and back again. And regardless of what Grumpy Cat says, I don’t think we can be vaccinated from either extreme.
I know it’s easy for us to choose to worry and fret with the world seemingly upside down these days. But worrying and fretting takes a lot of effort.
And just waiting for things to get better is a waste of our time. Time is scarce, so wasting it is a shame.
After all, it is always our choice:
- how we will act,
- how we will react,
- what we will say,
- what we will do.
We name it and then we claim it! And thus we make it our experience.
We can, and do, pick our role models (or should I say anti-role models?) Maybe there’s a balance somewhere between Mary Poppins and her ‘spoonful of sugar’ and Lucy and her proclamation!
So, what have you been chosing?
What are you now choosing?
What will you choose?
4 Comments
Lucky for me I have you for a role model! I’m seldom sad, grumpy or unhappy, though sometimes angry. The anger usually means I need to reflect then do something, such as take political action or change some behavior of mine. My boat seems to rock a bit more than yours, but your keel is more even and it helps to see that.
Fay, recognizing our emotions, thinking about them, and then choosing to take some action to change them has always seemed to me to be what it means to grow (and grow up!)
I have to disagree. Emotions are just energy and therefore part of being human and normal. However, I do agree that we pay attention to our emotions and allow them to be expressed appropriately. It is normal and appropriate to be sad, angry, depressed depending on the situation. However, allowing the emotions to be expressed and not held onto is healthy. For the record, I get annoyed with people who are always smiling and pretending to be happy. But then I identify with Lucy, Garfield and Eeyore and I am a July baby so am a crab. By the way, in Chinese medicine, there is an emotion associated with each organ.
Love the Grouch cartoons.
Emotions do flow throught us, positive or negative, we do choose how long they last.
Great post Pat!