Enga mellom fjella

Offended? "Wafts of ylang ylang and rutabaga"

Why do we give and take offense?

I'll quote chicochica : "I realized something: We're generally offended when we're not 100% sure of our own beliefs. This is why we allow anyone to offend us. It's us, not them."

I have been deeply hurt by people since I was a child who tried to define me outside their personal definition of 'respectable' and 'human' and took offense to my beliefs, opinions, my simple existence. It is a devastating experience one never quite gets over. I have had friends who chose to be offended. Friends who chose to not be offended. And unfortunately friends of friends who chose to be offended on their behalf.

So my objective is to understand how I've been affected all these years by other-people's-problems. It's been hard to let go. My personality (ENFP) wants to be loved and is deeply injured when the whole world doesn't love me (I'm like an Irish setter ). "Get over it!" doesn't work for me without the processing ... a life's worth ... to understand it.

So I must somehow not take offense myself ... but it isn't easy.

Wafts of ylang ylang and rutabaga

The waxy flame of ylang ylang wafts yellow
while rutabaga simmers on the stove.
Outside, the window opens to a wintry world
of skyscape shimmers, a sift of powder quilting hills.

Geraniums ignore this glowering grey.
They bloom with memories of sunny rays,
stiffly greet the frozen flakes
that do not know they're doomed.

What looms are longer days
of melt, of warmth, of open windows,
sowing seeds of yellow turnips;
winter like a candle flame snuffed out.

© 2009 Kåre Enga [165.491] 2009-03-18

Well, my ylang ylang (plumeria) candle was burning; I was eating rutabaga; my geraniums were blooming and it was snowing. Whaddya want! Today it's sunny mild.

blah-blah-blah-blah-blah:

I've done quite a bit of writing to catch up to goals.

Friends Tricia and Ginny are back from Costa Rica and California, so that's good for me. Tricia likes to walk.

Last night I watched a movie with friends: a French farce "The Closet" about a boring employee who saves his job by letting everyone think he's gay (discrimination suit?). The ruse is set up by a new neighbor who lost his job 20 years previously for being gay. Very humorous commentary on how the culture has changed. Also wicked portrayal of office life. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Closet_(2001_film)

MILLSTONES and MILESTONES:

I'm working on achieving old goals and setting new ones. My poetic sketches have reached #503 ... but I can't remember whether the old goal was 500 or 540! This evening I'll start on my new goal of 480/360 (high/low). The Baha'i New Year (166) begins at sunset. Y'all can go give Prosperous Snow celebrating a Happy New Year greeting.

quote for the day

O son of being! How couldst thou forget thine own faults and busy thyself with the faults of others.
Whoso doeth this is accursed of me.

~Bahá’u’lláh

"Beware lest ye offend the feelings of anyone, or sadden the heart of any person, or move the tongue in reproach of and finding fault with anybody, whether he is friend or stranger, believer or enemy."

~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Montana: 53º at 13:00

crocus

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