So here is my connection: knowing about pill bugs makes me happy. Running makes my toddler happy. What sorts of things do other adults do, when they feel like collapsing into a miserable heap? Because adults don't collapse into heaps often, and babies do. How do adults cope?
Maybe it's reading. Reading helps me. My baby can't read yet, and he keeps flopping out of my arms. Coincidence?
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| This is not my baby. He is a puddle of misery at the moment. But he will get better. I hope this is him soon! |
Life is SOOOO much easier once they all can read! We threw a party the day we all read (as we were having dinner) around the table! :)
ReplyDeleteWe shall have a party, too! It'll be a while, though, especially for our one-year-old...
DeleteHonestly, I think there's a heavy element of shame in preventing adults from collapsing into puddles. At some point, you realize that you can't really get by with acting that way and it gets shamed out of you. I suspect this because there's such a cultural element to coping. For example, my heritage is Irish. When we hit tough times, our general response is to make some very inappropriate jokes, grit our teeth and deal with it (or repress it as necessary). My boyfriend is Italian. When times get tough, he flies off the handle, has a fit of hysterics about how the world will never be the same ever again.
ReplyDelete....Then again, he also never grew up reading, so maybe there *is* something to that book theory...lol
I agree. There's a lot of "hold yourself together" shame that starts pretty early, especially for boys. And the stuff about culture is interesting! I think a LOT has to do with family history/culture.
DeleteOh, and I don't really believe my own theory, except for in relation to me. But if you can prove it true, more power to you! :)
I read most when I'm happy, I don't think it works the other way around for me. Adult puddle prevention = exercise, or beer, or both but has to be in the correct order or more puddles ensue.
ReplyDeleteExercise and beer! I can see how you'd need the right order there!
DeleteI need a special kind of book when I'm sad, and sometimes it's hard to get started. But it's escape, and once I do get started, it's my amazing antidote to many problems.