Last night I was in a chatroom and someone posted a link to an article that said this:

If you are lukewarm on absolutely everyone you meet, then either your demographics are way off, or you suffer from a lack of vulnerability and are protecting yourself by remaining indifferent and unenthused by all of those around you.

Remember, it’s your job to look for something cool in everyone you meet; it’s not their job to show you. This is life, not a fucking sales convention. Learning to appreciate people you meet is a skill you cultivate. So get on it.

I feel like appreciating people was something I was trying to work on, but I've been falling behind with it recently. Other things in my life have gotten in the way. I want to get back on track with it, though. It's an important skill to have, and I know it will enrich my life if I can keep it going.

A different article on that site discussed gratitude and how practicing it can make you happier. My dad said once that one of his friends can find a sincere compliment to give anybody, and that was her talent, and I feel like it's a similar idea. Being able to find something positive about anyone makes you appreciate people more, and people are such a big part of the world that I think if you can do that, the world will seem better.

There are a few things that regularly circulate through my thoughts along these lines. For example, this line from "Flagpole Sitta" by Harvey Danger:

But if you're bored then you're boring

It connects back to that first quote I posted up there, I think. It's not the world's job to entertain you, it's nobody's responsibility to make you interested in them. We aren't kings and queens who get to sit around and behead court jesters if we're not amused by their antics. I wonder if the ability to amuse ourselves is disappearing since so many of us now have constant access to the internet, TV, games, and so on. Numbed by a life of excess... (Maybe I should rewatch Le Feu Follet, it seems relevant to this)

It's strange to think about, because I mean, I'm part of it and all. I do get annoyed and frustrated if my internet goes out. I find I don't have the patience for a lot of things I used to like, like reading books. I did read A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich recently, and liked it, but starting a new book seems vaguely unappealing. When I was younger I never felt like that... I used to have stacks of books all over my floor because I get new books and read them and not have anywhere to put them. Reading is something I still value, so maybe I should do it more. It's mostly starting that's hard. I've had Bushido and Notes from the Underground in my bookmarks for awhile though, so I might try to start those. I don't like reading on the computer, but I guess it's still better than nothing. (And hey, it's free)

Well, this entry took a different turn than I was expecting, and I still want to post some pictures from Hawaii at some point. Next entry, I guess.

That's a good quote. . . if you have to try hard to impress someone, then you should be getting paid. You're not interviewing for jobs when meeting new people. If someone likes me, then great. If someone doesn't like me, then great. Clearly those people aren't supposed to be in my close circle of friends.

Also, I'd have to agree with you. In this age of the interwebs, it's more challenging than it should be to want to sit down just to read. I say I'll work on it and then YouTube happens.
» LostSoul13 on 2015-08-08 03:13:57

Sorry, you do not have permission to comment.

If you are a member, try logging in again or accessing this page here.