Yesterday saw the letter "N" in the Martha Simpson affirmation alphabet. (Please note that this series has been given its own label here, of 'ABReflctions'.)
I love that Martha has chosen "O"pen for today's word. It is something I have long advocated in both personal and professional situations - but an amazing number of folk are reserved, positively shy... or downright secretive! It is not only important for one's personal well-being to talk out stuff but, I strongly believe, it would be a better world if we dropped all the shenanigans of lies, damn lies and conspiracy theories... (I know, that's "o"ptimistic beyond reason!!!)
Hey YAM
ReplyDeleteI saw a movie the other night on Hallmark about a child was trying to overcome loss.
When asked how things were it was always 'fine', even when it was obvious things were not fine.
She finally spoke to a therapist who had the most unique way of getting her to express her feelings.
Either 'I feel like a balloon without not air'
or 'I feel like a sunny day'.
She did this and it resulted in her being more open with her feelings. He dad learned to say ask more questions; whereas before he would not. One still might need coaxing to expand but at least the people in her life knew where to start.
Hugs HiC
Hari Om
DeleteThat sounds like a meaningful and worthwhile watch! Thanks for sharing it... Yxx (Who is, frankly, so far beyond exhausted it's almost hilarious. Almost, I said...)
Love the Open Quote. I had not realized how closed I have become. The last 6 months have made me realize how closed I have become. Meditation is making its way back into my day - amazing how you don't realize how much you have been missing something until you start doing it again!
ReplyDeleteLove Barbie
Hari OM
DeleteTrying times do often result in us 'shutting down' somewhat... It's a coping mechanism for the immediate moment. It becomes a problem when we let it become dominant and forget to let stuff drop away when there are other moments in which it is safe to do so. Blogging has actually been my 'safe place' to vent as I handle being the primary carer for my father which is a 24/7 task... and I am not, over long stretches, a 24 hr gal. Even the respites provided by my siblings are not helping me recoup my sleep deficit now and of course I also have to battle with my arthritis and a couple of other inconveniences which tend to trigger the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome... And as I say that out loud I feel like a whinger; yet saying it out loud acknowledges my own needs and thus helps to clear the slate a bit for dealing with dad's. Yxx
I am open with some and not open with others. It depends. I love that quote.
ReplyDeleteEverything is open, even if it close it could open sometime.
ReplyDeleteOpenness (or lack thereof) is a frequent topic of conversation for my friend across the street. She comes from a North London Jewish family where feelings were always expressed openly and unreservedly, no filter applied. Her husband is a reserved and sometimes taciturn Scot who is very uncomfortable with talking about his feelings. It is an uncomfortable pairing. In my view, there's a happy medium to be struck..
ReplyDeleteCheers, Gail (who is open up to a point. If I say something I mean it, but there are definitely things I don't say!)
YAM-aunty - we are coming up to P for purr aren't we? Did you know that cats purr to heal themselves (among other reasons) - a kind of pain management. And scientists have discovered that we purr at the right resonance to repair injured and damaged bone and soft tissue. F thinks I should purr into her hip joint -perhaps you should get a purrer to sit on your lap in one or two 'quiet' moments - help you take that moment to simply BE. F&P Mr T.
ReplyDeleteHari OM
DeleteOh yes, I so miss my angel Jasper cat, a purrer of the Harley Davidson variety and a true healer. He even tried to help darling angel Jade when she was slipping away from us... sadly, my circumstances just now prevent the thought never mind the practicalities of taking on a furpal again. One day... Yxx
i am always open but not right now, i open up on the blog but i miss sharing my thoughts and feelings with others. at the YMCA part of the fun of going to the pool was finding women and sharing thoughts back and forth, now we just get in the pool, do the boring excerise and out the door. i miss chatting with PEOPLE
ReplyDeleteI think I am quite open about how I feel. And I am happy I was that open, as it helped me a lot more than just keeping it all bottled up inside.
ReplyDeleteI really miss having friends. I am open with my family, however. I've no tolerance for others these days, still stuck in a depression and I am not a good friend these days. I love chatting with people, as Sandra says. It's all changed, though.
ReplyDeleteA common greeting in the US is, "how are you today?". Once a person gave me that greeting following a church worship service. I answered, 'Not so great'. Her answer was the usual, 'good'. She had not listened to the response just assumed I had said the usual answer, 'great'. Not everyone can handle the truth! namaste, janice xx
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