POSTURING, SNOOPING, OFFERING SAGE ADVICE: Selfsearching, observing and giving up codependency for Lent/beyond

¨Nobody knows where the nose goes¨  Charles Benjamin

THE MISCHIEF of it all. I really find people fascinating in many/most ways. Grown ups who act like children, especially if they take themselves very seriously, and snoop, then offer advice where it isn't needed or expected or WANTED. 

I sometimes find myself entering into the adventure of trying to figure out how people I encounter think! WHY they do what they do...you know, motives? Mostly I stay close to people who don't seem to have any big issues. I love the gladness of people who have unincumbered hearts and live spontaneously with open/adventureous energy. I love being around people who are direct, no nonsense and have no illusions about TRYING TO CHANGE me or anyone else. I love ¨village news¨ instead of telephones but trying to change other peoples behavior can be exhausting (after I discover they may be headed down the wrong road)... it ought be a no go, when I run into *things* that are way out of my league...other peoples challenges that annoy me. I realize I am speaking about codependency. 

I know that sometimes I indulge in trying to SAVE people by simply trying to get them out of the way of oncoming traffic...it's good to be helpful but it is not helpful when I get out of my experience and frame of reference and perceive things to be different than they really are for the sake of appearing wise, savvy/good!  Extra points for savvy!

Leaping into the madness of being all-knowing or Mr/Ms Know It All is very unappealing, shallow and sometimes embarrassing. I have been known to enjoy hearing the sound of my own voice (better even, sometimes, when it ought not be heard at all). Go figure?  Grandstanding?

Being informed/informative is fun, sharing REAL experience, professional and otherwise, can be valueable (to me too), genuinely attempting to help others is admirable, knowing when to butt out is better yet. Remaining quiet in the face of rigorous stupidy (coming from smart or not-so-smart people) is hard for me. 

I am sometimes reminded that people can stick their noses where they don't belong, to speak of things which they have no experience or knowledge. I know I have done it too and I find it vaguely amusing but irritating when a well-meaning ¨do gooder¨ is way out of their element, their league and intrudes into conversations where they don't belong! 

Like me, I suppose they don't always know how to get out of their own way and shut up, shut the hell up. Being human is a very ongoing thing...keeping rightsized is the challenge,  I love being alive!

Leonardo Ricardo/Len
Leonard Clark Beardsley
Sacatepequez, Guatemala
Central America.