I enjoy sitting on the deck watching a late summer thunderstorm approach. Even without seeing the dark clouds building, you can feel it. Anticipate the arrival even before the first leaf stirs. There’s a storm coming.
Conditions are perfect for strong winds of influence, potentially damaging… not property, but feelings, and unleashing flash floods of emotion. We’ve all been in a perfect storm, maybe not directly sucked into the vortex of a tornado, but close enough to experience the violence firsthand, if only as a witness.
Wow, did I get off track? Not really…
The potential for storms in human emotions can be as damaging to others’ feelings, and it’s an interesting phenomenon to witness —not that I’m a storm chaser trolling for human conflicts, but as a trained observer, there’s plenty to see. We’ve all been in and around approaching storms, like when we attend a gathering where strong winds of opinion are likely to be experienced.
I’m reminded of the ‘perfect storm’ concept, where all the essential elements come together to create an emotionally charged storm threatening to damage personal relationships. It may not be overt, but the storm winds bent on influencing opinion will break sooner or later.
Observing what history tells us to anticipate can be pretty entertaining. The observer needs to do nothing more than listen… until they can no longer tolerate the verbal combat and the battle of wills, then disengage entirely to do something productive… like… check email. Maybe no one asks the question out loud, but it’s everyone’s head, and it’s going to get interesting. Be patient. Prepare to be entertained. Body temperatures rise along with blood pressure. Points are positioned. Proof is promoted, posturing expertly back and forth. It’s like watching a crazy dodgeball competition, swapping shots until it’s the last human standing.
The alternative is to engage by asking the question that’s on everyone’s mind, but no one chooses to become collateral damage in redirected wind shear until one brave soul asks, “Can someone tell me why this should matter?”
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Big Enough to Matter
Why me?
What do you expect from me?
I love you, but sometimes I don’t like you…
Especially when a battle of opinions breaks out,
And the only “ball in play” is the battle of wills, not opinions.
Win the debate regardless of the body count of bruised relationships.
Loss spreads ‘round the blast radius.
Does the ‘opinion at play’ represent high ground?
That matters if battle readiness was postured with intent
Or for the potential of there being one…battle, that is…
Is the ‘opinion at play’ a hill high enough, worth enough, to die on?
If you don’t die, who does?
No winner. Ever.
Or is it an ego thing…
…and never was there a hill big enough to matter?
* * * * * *
Peace!
Gary G. Wise
Writer of Things – Story Teller – Grief Coach
Gdogwise@live.com