The obvious one is babies. I was am fascinated by their little hands and fingers and how hard they grip. Aside from babies what else makes me go "Oooooh". Jaguar cars and athletes who leap from the ice land perfectly and score perfect 10's or race across court to a ball we all know they won't reach but they do and then they have the brilliant cheek to lob it over their stranded opponents head. Also words, the ones you could just keep saying all day because they make your mouth do funny things or they just so sound like, what they mean.
So cars and sports, very "bloke" things and words!
For one reason or another I've reached the bottom of a cycle again and want to try something different this time, to break it. Usually I'd spill my guts out to those poor sods closest to me. Which, like Chinese food is very filling until you're on the pavement outside of the restaurant. So I'm thinking of saving them the grief this time. If only they knew they'ed be so happy lol.
This is where words come into play. I love the word "Stoicism" (indifference to pleasure or pain, impassiveness). The word has had a bit of a make over and it's original meaning has changed a little. The original "Soics" believed that destructive emotions resulted from errors in judgement and the development of self-control and fortitude could be used as a means of overcoming these destructive emotions. Are you with me and nodding in agreement so far? well lets go on.
Being a bloke, being a real Man! what qualities are required for that particular job. In no particular order strength, inner strength, decisiveness, compassion and humour. Isn't that what we all want from someone when the going gets tough? isn't that my role?
From where I'm standing both of the above seem a good fit. No doubt my destructive emotions have lead me here and a bit of fortitude has kept me floating up to now. This will be post number 298 and most of them had at the top of the page "What would Chris Gardner do". Well he would, did just suck it up and get on with it. Now I'm not the man Chris Gardner is but maybe it's time to see what kind of a man I can actually be! So I'll dig down deep for more fortitude and develop some self control over time.
Still no bloody laughs I'm afraid but it's a much better page than the usual stuff.
Onwards and upwards in the pursuit of happyness :-)
What an interesting post, dear Spanner.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if is it possible to show inner strength, decisiveness, compassion (to yourself, perhaps, and consequently others), and humour, and yet still allow oneself to release negative emotions. Otherwise my years of therapy only prove that I am not a real man after all, or indeed a real bird.
Somebody wrote a post yesterday to which I responded that I had always thought that admitting weakness was a sign of strength, and feigning strength a sign of weakness.
Hm. You have made me ponder some more on that.
Ponder, ponder...
:-) P
Thanks for the comment Pixie, I'd agree with you that admitting a weakness is indeed a strength. I'm just going with the idea that there's no need for me to admit not being able to deliver a baby in the back of a taxi till somebody actually asks :-)
ReplyDeleteokay... let's address this remark first... "Now I'm not the man Chris Gardner is"
ReplyDeleteNo. You're not. He didn't hold down a job, he ended up losing his wife because he was determined to do something that was to the detriment of his family, and ended up sleeping in restrooms and homeless shelters with his son because of that.
And was rewarded with millions and millions of dollars.
So I hope you're not like him at all, other than being willing to persevere. :)
It takes a great deal of... courage? Strength? To stand up and say the things you say here. I think you're going to be fine. Better than fine.
Morning Aims, I saw the film when I was at a very low point. I then read his book as well. To be fair to the guy he doesn't add any gloss to his image and he isn't a totally like-able guy but I do admire his determination and inner drive. I guess people who get right to the top have faults in their make-up too. I'd have him over for dinner though along with you and a few of the usual suspects from these parts :-)
ReplyDeleteAs always thanks for taking the trouble to comment x