John P. Schulz: Find The Living Room

Quotes and Notes # 310, September 10

Find the monsters. Give them a name. Pet them and make friends.

“Monsters cannot be announced. One cannot say: ‘Here are our monsters,’ without immediately turning the monsters into pets.”—Jacques Derrida—

During a learning period in my life, I found myself with a lot of worries, doubts, and fears that randomly take over my happiness and contentment at any time without warning. Eventually I began to call them monsters. That was many years ago.

As time went by, as the monsters came and went, I learned to name them. I learned that many times the monsters were making a repeat showing and that I had to deal with the same one over and over. I named them Pete and George and Mary Ellen. There were a number of them and they all had their own personalities.

As more time went by, when I would become stressed by a particular doubt or fear, I could recognize that monster and call it by name. “Come here, Louann,” I would say, “let me make you content and send you home.” It worked. I recognized the monsters, knew from whence they came, and knew what it would take to send them home. That turns worry into fun.

Today, share a smile with a worried person.
Everything is going to be all right
John P. Schulz—“Sweetie Drives on Chemo Days.”