"Deep down I am selfish and don't like to feel obliged to do what other people are doing..." -- Garrison Keillor, Salon-dot-com, "Christmas Without Translation"
I laughed so hard when I read that in Mr. Keillor's latest holiday essay on Salon. Here I thought I was eccentric, or even colorful ... and maybe I am, but I think Garrison is onto something with this observation -- I don't like to do what "everyone else" is doing perhaps because deep down it's about my selfishness, not my character. Damn! So much for my delusions of rugged individuality.
When I first got sober everyone was talking about the "child within" ... finding the child within ... nurturing the child within ... self-parenting the child within. I didn't want explore that too closely -- after all, given the evidence, I fear my child within is more Veruca Salt than Charlie Bucket.
"I want an Oompa Loompa, and I want one NOW!"
So I fear Mr. Keillor's observations are, as they used to say, "spot on." Deep down I'm not a straight-talking iconoclast -- I'm a foot stomping brat. "No! I won't do what everyone else is doing! If they're all doing it then I will do my own thing! I will! I WILL!"
Is it just me, or does it always seem to come back to humility?
Ah well, "Charlie in the Chocolate Factory," Salon-dot-com, even reruns of "Kung-Fu" (that Caine slung a mean spiritual metaphor) I find insight in the strangest places nowadays -- but I turn up my nose at no source for assistance or inspiration -- I need all the help I can get.
Cheers!
Great post...thanks for the reminder and the laugh over the use of Veruca Salt. LOL! Merry Chirstmas Mr. Sponsor Pants.
G
Posted by: Gabriella Moonlight | December 24, 2008 at 08:51 AM
Sending Holiday Wishes your way!
Posted by: Scott W | December 24, 2008 at 04:45 PM