Rumors about (self) Consumers

The unexamined life is not worth living

Socrates

The other day, I went on a search at the local bookseller for Sara Bakewell’s wonderful life of Montaigne, his essays, and our fascination with “self” called: How to Live

Not finding it, I inquired of the customer service fellow, who loudly asked:

“Is that in the self help section?”

I winced, as many knowing glances came my way from fellow shoppers.

“Ah”, they seemed to say, “In search of your inner (peace, child, yogi….you fill in the blank).”

“I would have thought literary criticism”, I sniffed, and retreated behind a magazine rack.

No one believed me.

And why should they?

Self absorption is a national sport right after taking "all you can eat" as a personal challenge.

I started writing this being pretty critical of the idea of what seems to be our eternal love affair with introspection, but, could it be that living from the inside out is not so bad?

Could it be that if I am willing to understand me and use that piece to build a bridge to you, it could be a good thing?

There it is- use it to build a bridge- not a cell, or a wall, or an ivory tower.

A bridge.

Or, as Montaigne via Sarah Bakewell put it:

"This idea - that immersion in one’s inner world can be a sociable act, and that the assertion of what makes us unlike anyone else can bring out the humanity we share with everyone else ….."

Now go!

Build a bridge of empathy that is safe and familiar and let others come across.

And that’s Poetiquejustis.

It's So Becoming!

What is genius-but the power of expressing a new individuality?

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Being a grandmother has its perks.

You have an excuse to play Barbies again without people wondering if it might be time to start shopping for an adult daycare center for you.

Hot fudge sundaes become a “bonding experience” instead of a lack of willpower.

And there is absolutely no reason to try to conjure up bright and charming small talk because grandkids are happy to carry the conversation- and carry it they do from unicorns to the universe if you just sit quietly and listen.

Some people like going to planetariums and watching the stars through a giant telescope.

Me? I like watching people grow- getting brighter and stronger and more in focus each passing day.

I like watching them becoming who they will be, no matter what age or who they are now.

We are all “becoming”.

And part of "becoming" is being willing to help others become.

Clearing the rocks out of the path so people can move ahead

Being the bridge between places they are and they places they want to go.

Not a bad job, right?

Good news: there are vacancies!

Wanted: people who will encourage, listen, and praise. Immediate openings in a hurt and troubled world. No travel necessary. You can work from home or your present job.

Now go! You are ready to do that job and you are needed!

And that’s poetiquejustis.

Seems It's Always Tuesday at Trader Joes

My husband Bruce and I were mechanically moving through our chores for the morning….shopping…dry cleaning.

First stop: Trader Joes.

Goodies fell off the shelves in to our cart and at some point we figured we had enough sustenance for the week (once you have the sun dried tomatoes, you know you are good)

When we rolled up to the register, one of us must have thrown out the requisite, “how are you today?” to the checkout guy.

What we got back was a booming- “Great for a Tuesday!”

I surfaced from my mindless miasma to give him a quizzical look.

Wide eyed and innocent, the guy with the name “Jose” on his shirt shot the look right back at me.

“What? Why are you looking at me funny?”

“It is Saturday,” I offered.

Nothing gets by me.

Jose looks theatrically uncertain, but as I am the customer, he lets it slide.

Over the next five minutes, as he bagged the groceries we learned about Jose’s:

1. favorite BBQ restaurants

2. where to find the best fried pickles

3. the joy of being a digital art teacher

4. the problem with pricey breweries with limited microbrews

5. why Tuesdays are such a great day.

Exit Bruce and Patty with smiles, taking a bit more joy in this Tuesday/Saturday world.

There are people in life that just won’t let you get on with the mundane.

They find the need to brighten the walls of tedium with splashes of light and laughter.

If you want to just shuffle though a check-out line -or life-you will have to avoid people like Jose.

They will have nothing of it!

God bless them!

Now go!

Make the most of your Tuesday- no matter what day you think it is.

And that's Poetiquejustis.