Pretend It's You

Whoopi Goldberg taught me a new way to think about an old topic - The Golden Rule.

In a book of hers I just read that was basically a collection of her social commentary on things that annoy her (from drunk driving to bullying to talking in a movie theater) she often repeated the phrase "pretend it's you".

I love that thought.

Pretend it is you:
- who will be coming into the airplane bathroom next
- who is trying to get on (or off) the train (or elevator or bus)
- when you are tempted to say something mean or demeaning to someone else
- when you comment on someones appearance

This thought gives me a way to operationalize the goal to "do unto others as you would have others to unto you"

Any other ideas of when you should "pretend it's you"?

What I Want to Be

A friend of mine told me that he recently fell in love with a song called "Someone to Fall Back On" so I looked it up, and I fell in love too.

The lyrics from this song capture what I want to be. Or the way I want to be perceived. I want to be strong enough to support others. I want to not care about how I may appear from a distance. I want to be aware of the struggles and sorrows of others and do my part to share and lift their burdens.

I also want to get better at realizing that we don't really need much - but we all do need someone to "fall back on" or lean on or trust or who is just there for us no matter what.

Here are the lyrics (AKA my new mission statement):

I am no prince, I am no saint, I am not anyone's wildest dream,
But I can stand behind and be someone to fall back on.

Some comedy-- You're bruised and beaten down
And I'm the one who's looking for a favor.
Still, honestly, you don't believe me
But the things I have are the things you need.

You look at me like I don't make sense,
Like a waste of time, like it serves no purpose -
I am no prince, I am no saint, & if that's what you believe you need,
You're wrong - you don't need much, you need someone to fall back on

And I'll be that, I'll take your side.
If I'm the only one, I'm used to that.
I've been alone, I'd rather be
The half of us, the least of you, the best of me.

And I will be your prince, I'll be your saint,
I will go crashing through fences
In your name. I will, I swear -
I'll be someone to fall back on!
I'll be the one who waits,

And for as long as you'll let me,
I will be the one you need.
I'll be someone to fall back on your prince, your saint,
The one you believe you need
I'll be - I'll be someone to fall back on.

Just Enough

Something I've been observing about myself lately is that I care just enough to be saddened by, intrigued about, or frustrated because of things, but not enough to actually do anything about them.

Take for example the flute and piano - I like to think that I love them and want to play them. Do I play either one well? No. Do I do anything about that? No. Sigh.

Maybe this public forum isn't the place to write, or think aloud if you will, about such things. But, there is a part of me that hopes that by putting this out there publicly I'll gain the motivation to do something about something.