Dear Saiisha:

Thank you for being the first to answer my thread (again). If this thread was about finances I wouldn’t be able to stand five minutes here. If it was about gardening, I’d have nothing to say. Glad the topics here posted by others do stimulate my interest, my thinking and I find myself having something to say.
anita

Thank you, Saiisha. I greatly appreciate your support.
anita

Dear Jack:

This is why it has worked for me: here if I annoy certain members I don’t have to worry about them punishing me in life outside the forum, such as turning the music loud all night, or fire me from a job, or stop paying my bills, or… it is relatively safe. So MORE real here, is what I say.

The thing about annoying others: something about me annoyed others from the moment of my conception and something about me is annoying someone who is reading these very words right now (if enough people are reading this), and something about me will annoy somebody on the last day of my life. Actually, something about me will annoy someone after I die (my body may not burn during cremation just right, a hospital clerk may be annoyed with the billing of my last stay there, someone will not be happy I didn’t leave them my pearl necklace, etc.)

So you see,someone will ALWAYS be annoyed with me.

So, what is the solution?

Be diplomatic, political- that will work some, and it totally appropriate when diffusing violence such as between nations and in a mediation session between feuding spouses, but even the best diplomats, the best tactful skills do not protect anyone from the inevitable: someone will get annoyed.

What it comes down to is what is my purpose here? To be accepted by everyone, to be praised and admired? no, this is not my purpose. I am not aiming at being accepted by a single person here other than to be accepted by myself. Being accepted by anyone else is a by product.

This IS the world we live in:somebody will always be unhappy I am here. Do I hide? Or do I honor myself (with the Win-Win attitude) and stay?

anita

Dear Jack:

There is strength and courage in you not leaving the thread, Jack, in posting again and again. Real strength is not in the delusion of strength. Real strength is in showing your weakness because it is real and coming back. In coming back you are stating something like: I am strong enough to be weak, or I am strong enough to BE HERE. And the courage, a trait you have shown, a trait so rare in the people in my life, you already established your courage. YOU are admirable then, you see. You are admirable.

anita