Just Call Me Dr. Phyllis

I spent the afternoon practicing two things: patience and therapy.

I have a co-worker that is having man troubles. IMHO her trouble is that she's yet to clue into the fact that she doesn't need to have one, but I digress.

Her boyfriend du jour is wrecking havoc on her mental stability. No, he doesn't beat her. No, he doesn't cheat on her. Yes, he talks her into the dirt.

I listened to her for the better part of the morning, on and off. My patience is always tried when I see a woman getting all splotchy in the neck and face because she can't figure out how to change her man into her childhood Prince Charming. My therapy practice came in the form of truly listening to her random statements, finding the jewels, and coining them back to her.

Me: Personally I make it a point to surround myself with friends and lovers who make me a better person.
Her: He has that same philosophy. He says you should always leave people better off than when you found them. What they do with that is up to them. So that's why he points things out that he thinks I should do, not do, improve upon, etc.
Me: Perhaps the best way to leave people better off than when you found them is to encourage their strengths, not highlight their weaknesses.

I sat back, astounded by what came out of my mouth. As the day wore on those words rang in my ears. As evening closes around me I ask myself...

If I really want to get better each day, maybe I should stop highlighting my weaknesses ("I'm too fat... short-tempered... cursed with kinky hair... stuck in a dead-end job..." etc...) and encourage my strengths.

And I think one of those is listening to and encouraging others. It sure as hell isn't punctuation. So yes, I'm definitely going forward with the Psychology Major.

This is Funky, and that is all.