Don’t sit on your emotions, but let them shine out for all to see, writes John Masterson
SUZIE Q is a passionate dog and loves me. She loves a few people, but I’m definitely in the top five.
She’s not a slut, but is very discriminating. I was chosen for my good behaviour. So when she sees me, she takes off and launches herself at me. If I’m not ready, she leaves me flat on my back. I then get five minutes of total attention, give five minutes back — and if I didn’t tell her to go away, she’d still be lying on her back wanting more.
Suzie Q is a little over a year old, and most of her brain is still puppy. In her short life, she has rejuvenated all around her — dogs, cats, humans. Her playfulness is infectious. She doesn’t let you not take notice. And I wonder how long it is before that transition from unashamed puppy mentality to mature circumspect dog takes place.
All of the people who made an impression on me in 2006 had a bit of Suzie Q about them. There were passionate about people, or about what they were doing. And, more often than not, they had a smile on their faces. However, if they had a frown on, it was best to leave the postal district — because, as people who engaged with life to the full, someone was likely to feel their wrath. And maybe get an apology for going over the top.
As teenagers, we’re all full of hormones and passion. Our opinions are the most important in the world. Our soccer team or TV show is followed with fervour. Our slights are felt as real pain. Our loves are all-consuming. Life is intense and we know where we stand about most things.
Maturity makes us more reasonable. Add a bit of mileage to that maturity and we become very boring indeed, unaffectedly going through the motions of life. If something good happens, we’re too cool to show excitement. If something bad happens, we just deal with it and move on. We go through life, rather than live it,
I met a few people in 2006 who made me sit up and take notice. One was going though a tough time—but had an attitude that would get a bunch of people up Everest and down the other side.
Another was at a stage where she just loved her job and had a list of things that she was setting out to achieve. Yet another was nearing the end of a very fulfilling project and wondering what to do next, knowing it would be something very different. All laughed a lot.
By contrast, I sat in a restaurant waiting to be served and wondered why nothing was happening when I spotted the waiter in a corner meditating. At first I couldn’t believe my eyes, but sure enough, there he was in some pretentious pose, absorbed in his inner being — instead of feeding mine.
I don’t have anything much against meditation (some of my best friends do it), but I’m a bit fed up with the mad rush away from stress. Stress is part of life and the people who embrace it and deal with it tend to have richer lives.
For them the highs are high and the lows are low, but it is preferable to living in the medium-waveland. And remember, you can’t make yourself an egglette without breaking oms.
If you want a resolution for 2007, here is what I suggest. Burn all those books that tell you how to keep calm. Go for something that includes stress as part of the package.
You might laugh out loud. And if you get angry, go for it. But don’t do too much damage to those in the vicinity. Check now and again to see if you have a pulse. And if it’s not throbbing, do something about it.
John Masterson is a doctor of psychology
First published in Dec ‘06.
Put Passion in your Life and Rock the Routine.
Don’t sit on your emotions, but let them shine out for all to see, writes John Masterson
SUZIE Q is a passionate dog and loves me. She loves a few people, but I’m definitely in the top five.
She’s not a slut, but is very discriminating. I was chosen for my good behaviour. So when she sees me, she takes off and launches herself at me. If I’m not ready, she leaves me flat on my back. I then get five minutes of total attention, give five minutes back — and if I didn’t tell her to go away, she’d still be lying on her back wanting more.
Suzie Q is a little over a year old, and most of her brain is still puppy. In her short life, she has rejuvenated all around her — dogs, cats, humans. Her playfulness is infectious. She doesn’t let you not take notice. And I wonder how long it is before that transition from unashamed puppy mentality to mature circumspect dog takes place.
All of the people who made an impression on me in 2006 had a bit of Suzie Q about them. There were passionate about people, or about what they were doing. And, more often than not, they had a smile on their faces. However, if they had a frown on, it was best to leave the postal district — because, as people who engaged with life to the full, someone was likely to feel their wrath. And maybe get an apology for going over the top.
As teenagers, we’re all full of hormones and passion. Our opinions are the most important in the world. Our soccer team or TV show is followed with fervour. Our slights are felt as real pain. Our loves are all-consuming. Life is intense and we know where we stand about most things.
Maturity makes us more reasonable. Add a bit of mileage to that maturity and we become very boring indeed, unaffectedly going through the motions of life. If something good happens, we’re too cool to show excitement. If something bad happens, we just deal with it and move on. We go through life, rather than live it,
I met a few people in 2006 who made me sit up and take notice. One was going though a tough time—but had an attitude that would get a bunch of people up Everest and down the other side.
Another was at a stage where she just loved her job and had a list of things that she was setting out to achieve. Yet another was nearing the end of a very fulfilling project and wondering what to do next, knowing it would be something very different. All laughed a lot.
By contrast, I sat in a restaurant waiting to be served and wondered why nothing was happening when I spotted the waiter in a corner meditating. At first I couldn’t believe my eyes, but sure enough, there he was in some pretentious pose, absorbed in his inner being — instead of feeding mine.
I don’t have anything much against meditation (some of my best friends do it), but I’m a bit fed up with the mad rush away from stress. Stress is part of life and the people who embrace it and deal with it tend to have richer lives.
For them the highs are high and the lows are low, but it is preferable to living in the medium-waveland. And remember, you can’t make yourself an egglette without breaking oms.
If you want a resolution for 2007, here is what I suggest. Burn all those books that tell you how to keep calm. Go for something that includes stress as part of the package.
You might laugh out loud. And if you get angry, go for it. But don’t do too much damage to those in the vicinity. Check now and again to see if you have a pulse. And if it’s not throbbing, do something about it.
John Masterson is a doctor of psychology
First published in Dec ‘06.