It's possible you're someone who has never taken themselves too seriously. I make no such claim. So let me ask those of you who have - at least a few times - shared my unfortunate tendency. Who helps you remain grounded? If you don't rely on a trusted person to ground you regularly, what do you rely on instead? Who are the people in your life that remind you by example to stay grounded?
I cannot recall what prompted me to jot down the italicized words above nor did I cite its source in my blog notebook at the time. But a few weeks back I caught myself briefly musing on my importance as I sat down to begin writing a post. What set me off on that fantasy? No idea. Anyone reading and foolish enough to admit to having done so, do you recall what most recently propelled you onto a similar delusional path?
I do recall from that day weeks back what happened before I started writing. I opened my notebook, noticed those grounding words above and got abruptly yanked back to reality. Timing is everything.
p.s. Tried tracking down those words using Wikiquotes; no luck. My best guess? This is something lifted from a novel I was reading at the time. If I'm right, there's another good reason to continue reading fiction, not that I needed any rationale for doing so.
Here is a link from Quote Investigator with a history of the quote and its cousins. https://quoteinvestigator.com/2011/11/21/graveyards-full/
ReplyDeleteMy memoir was just released two days ago. In the Author's Guide, I say that publishing a book is obviously an egotistical act because of all the myriad things a person could be doing in this wide, wonderful world, I'm asking you to take eight or nine hours of your time and listen to ME. In truth, I'm even hoping that people will be reading the book after I'm dead. If that isn't a plea for my indispensability, I don't know what is. ;-)
Jim; Thanks for the link which is new to me and will definitely come in handy. Congratulations (BIG TIME!) on the release of your memoir; I'm looking forward to your reading in April and also to picking up the book to read through. As for your "...plea for indispensability...", I think not. Finishing any book is something to be justifiably proud of and hoping others read it when you're gone is a totally understandable human instinct. I suspect that is what will happen, anyway.
DeleteHey Pat. I try to use humor as a means to stay grounded. By that I mean I can usually laugh at myself and many times have laughed out loud at myself. Usually it's something as silly as tripping over my own feet or not watching where I'm going and walking into something. When I was working I was regarded as a subject matter expert and a go to person for a number of things. I took a lot of pride in that as it showed, at least to me, that my hard work was being recognized and it was worth the effort I was putting forth. But, and I also took pride in this, I always made sure to thank/recognize those who worked for, and with, me, for their efforts and their hard work. I think the boldest thing I allowed myself to say, when working, was that I didn't know everything, I just knew more than anyone else. But, at the same time, we always knew that no matter how hard one worked, once you're gone there's someone that is going to be in your chair the very next day. It just makes sense. The work doesn't stop because one person is gone - however they leave. That is something that I always found to be very humbling.
ReplyDeleteBe well,
Bob
Bob; Humor is certainly an effective grounding tool. And I'm not at all surprised to learn you are able to easily laugh at yourself, a sure sign of a mentally healthy person. Thanks for the comment.
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