I remember the phrase from the seventies…it’s not my job, man…from a comedy routine…in my mind I relate it to…Cheech and Chong…although I’m not certain…and it really doesn’t matter…except that it bugs me not to know for sure…
Anyway…I should have paid more attention to the phrase…then I might be certain of the source…and I might have heeded the wisdom buried in it…at least that’s what…Bertha…says…
So…what am I talking about…certainly not the toilet cleaning in the skit that I…
kind of…remember…I’m talking about happiness…other people’s happiness…to be specific…it ain’t my job…
There’s a story in the upcoming…Bertha sequel…entitled…Independence Day…now…I won’t give the story away…but…it involves several wigs…a soapbox…a couple of flags…the cat…and…Bertha…showing me the fallacy of bowing to the opinion of others…in an attempt to make them happy…
I wrote it…I teach it…I preach it…I just sometimes…forget to live it…
And…when I do forget…
I fold to criticism…immediately shutting down inside…trying to figure out how to change…so that I will be acceptable…so the other person can be happy…
Then…it’s up to…Bertha…to remind me…don’t listen to criticism…don’t value someone else’s opinion…more than your own…listen to your heart…live your truth…
Now…she’s not saying that some criticism isn’t valid…and constructive…I mean…comments like…wearing dark purple underwear with a big hole…doesn’t work that well under thin white shorts…are probably best heeded…and…do help to keep me out of the circulating photos of what not to wear when shopping…
No…she’s talking about…things that go deeper than that…characteristics that make me be…well…me…
And…yes…there was an incident that precipitated this topic…and…no…we aren’t going to discuss it…that would only have us drawing lines in the sand…that don’t need to be drawn…
The point is that my first response to criticism…was to change…to figure out how to be…different…better…acceptable…even though years of experience have shown me that attempting to change for others…just doesn’t work…
Thankfully…this time…Bertha…was there…on her soapbox…with all those wigs…and…helped me come to my senses…just before…I…let the change begin…
Jane
Bertha is so wise in knowing that living someone else’s “mold” of who we should be, act, or dare I say it, wear (according to THEM); only makes us…ah…mold. I for one hope you NEVER change who you are. It’s the Jane I’ve come to know and love.
You buddy, Queenie
Eeewww…Georgia…I love your play with ‘mold’…you are soooo right. Thanks for the love it is returned!
No changes needed that I can see. I like you just the way you are.
Peggy
Thanks, Peggy…I like you, too! Could be because we are twins born to separate mothers…I haven’t told mine yet…by the way!
I have to admit I wondered why there was a photo of a toilet here… now I understand! PS I’m glad the cat is back for the sequel 🙂
Christy…that toilet was a stretch…but I wanted to have a picture…LOL! Yes…we love the cat!