August 13, 2007

Rinse and Repeat

I love people. I have met and known some extraordinary characters over the years. (And I'm just getting started.) But various events occur (and recur in different guises) with relentless predictability to remind us that people are temporary.

Compounding that difficulty, people tend to approach slowly but depart quickly. I enjoy the approach with a sort of growing, smiley feeling but the departure is usually abrupt and always horrifying.

Ways to avoid the problem:

  • Drink a lot. Meet extraordinary characters and behave dangerously around them to make sure they never call.
  • Stay home. Unplug the phone and watch Netflix. Remain civil and outwardly friendly to coworkers but save your best self for your lonely inner dialogue.
  • Use non-humans as surrogate friends. (Emo. Celebrities. Porn.)
  • Ignore everyone. Save your energy for conversations with the people inside your head.
  • Be overly critical. Remind people of your negative evaluations of others. Make sure no one is worthy of your love.
  • Fall in love with a shallow and sarcastic jackass and then dump your friends because they're not stylish enough for him/her. Then fall out of love before something really bad happens.
Or don't avoid 'the problem.' Embrace it. Enjoy everyone and then cry a lot later. And keep crying and enjoying until you're dead.

Personally, I hate crying. But it seems like the least painful option. It's been working for me so far.

5 comments:

Priyanka Shetty said...

I vote for 'Don't avoid the problem'The tissues could do with a little rinse and repeat

Woman with a Hatchet said...

Heyyyy!

What's up? I'm not sure if this sounds good or not.! As in, "Hey, I'm liking this life with friends thing, as painful as it can be" or "Help me! I'm running away from you people!"

We love you! Ed, Val and Alessa were psyched to meet you and I was thrilled that you all hit it off.

Red Flashlight said...

Oh, Hatchet. I'm loving this life with friends! My post says that it sucks when friends die, but the reality of death and grief is better than the suckiness of a life with no friends. I was posting about compassion, not crying out for help.

p.s. - I was thrilled, too. :)

Woman with a Hatchet said...

I'm glad it's not the worse of my two guesses.

Did you see my pictures? Got a really good one of you and one of Scott, caught in the act of subverting Oliver.

Scylla said...

The love is worth the tears, and while there are days when I wish I had no more tears left to cry, I wouldn't trade a single moment of the friendships I share with anyone to make that wish come true.

Love you much!