“What is a weekEND?” – Dowager Countess on Downton Abbey
With Christmas and New Year on Wednesdays this year, the work week has been quirky. After Christmas, I worked two days, off for one, worked two days, off for two and now I’m going in for the first of my latest two day work stint. It’s Thursday but it feels like Monday.
The time off has been lovely. I’ve cleaned a closet and have compiled four bags of donated goods. I read “The Great Gatsby” for my Roaring 20s Bookclub. I’ve done my sun salutations. I’ve slept. I’ve relaxed. Chicago has been like a giant snowglobe. The only times I went out of my house in the last two days was for a NYE party and an New Year’s open house. I left my tranquil oasis for the unknown.
Yesterday, I was at a party with a guest exuding negativity. His life is a series of mishaps. Some are within his control. Some are out of his control. His life is a drama.
At this point in my life, I’m about the comedy. I had drama in 2013 especially in the last half. Ultimately, I want to laugh more. Or minimally, I want to remain even keel. Lately when an exchange has a blip of ick, the anxiety throws me into a series of hot flashes. My body reacts to the dark moment with heat.
At yesterday’s party, Derrick gave me a suggestion for battling the negativity. He is a massage therapist that embraces ancient healing practices. To alleviate stress, he told me to tap on the thymus gland. It releases an energy flow. He said tap. The articles I read supported my thumping yesterday. (Imagine a Tarzan move). I thumped away the party. At better times in my life, I’ve had more of a caring response. For the same people that continue to make choices that make their life harder, I have chronic compassion fatigue.
While we were on vacation, Roger gave me a life nugget that continues to resonate with me. He told me, “Everybody is doing the best they can.” It was a profound and simplistic truth from a man that radiates positive energy. I’ll thump to that, Rog!