Don't be a boiled frog.
Now there's some sound advice.
Once upon a time, there was a sadistic experimenter who discovered that frogs will, of course, leap away if they're dropped into boiling water. On the other hand, frogs will stay put if they're placed in cold water which is then slowly brought to boil.
This is why I have started trying to write daily reflections. I say "trying" because I don't actually manage to do this every day. It's a work in progress, I guess, making this part of my routine. The boiling water is life situations. The frog is us. We sometimes find ourselves stuck in life situations that are bad for us - it may be a bad marriage, a dead-end job, or pretty much any other harmful set of circumstances. If you have arrived at such a situation gradually, in tiny little increments of time over a span of years, it's hard to pinpoint when things went bad. It's easy to tell yourself that everything is okay, because hey - things aren't much different than they were yesterday, or the day before. What you don't realize is that they are markedly different from what they were several years ago. The magic has gone, or the excitement has worn off. You don't jump out of bed in the morning with any enthusiasm. All the while, you keep telling yourself that everything is just the same as ever.
Imagine, however, that all of a sudden you're dropped without warning into a dying marriage or a dead-end job. Ouch! That fucking hurts! Out of the water!
Daily reflections function as a thermometer for the pot of life. If we are honest with ourselves, they will indicate when the temperature is rising to unhealthy levels.
Okay - I have just turned the results of a sadistic experiment into a self-help metaphor. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Still, if nothing else, it's food for thought.
Ouch. There I go with the cliches. And so continues the neverending process of self-review.
The point is: keep things vital and exciting. Find what resonates with you, and stick with it. If life seems to be a chore or an unvarying routine, change something!
4 comments:
There is so much here that I could comment on, but I'll spare you and pick one. This one! I love this commentary. Although I am pained at the thought of boiled frogs, I think the metaphor is so funny and of course, true. Thanks for the colorful reminder. I'll run scan on my life and examine whether it currently applies!
So, how old were you when you boiled frogs for self-help and science?
~L
Thanks, Lorelei!
I never actually boiled frogs myself, and I can't remember when or where (or why) the experiment was performed. I do know, however, about an experiment scientists performed while trying to explain why certain frog species were vanishing and others weren't - they discovered that the vanishing species, with all other factors the same between the two species, couldn't sense ultraviolet radiation.
That said, as a kid I did once boil crayfish with the intention of eating them. I did eat them, but my friend and I, being kids, covered them in chocolate syrup first. Not a good combination, to say the least.
From what I've read of your life, and the obvious joy with which you live it, I'm betting this won't apply to you!
cheers,
John
I might have been joking a little, but I admit I'm relieved that you weren't boiling the frogs!
It is similar to my struggle the mice/snake equation. I know that it mimics nature, but the hand in the cage changes it for me. Of course, I feed crickets to the toads and worms to the newts without pause, but anything amphibian or furry gets a personality. It is entirely emotional, not at all intellectual!
I appreciate your sweetness about the other things. Thank you. I am sorry, too. I didn't think too thoroughly about the few who do not know. I was just moved by the common sorrow and all that was beautiful at the same time.
I am going to take the joy (you mentioned) and beauty part(above) and run with it.
You be well, too.
~L
No need to apologize.
I'm glad that you're running with the joy and beauty.
take care,
John
Post a Comment