Have you ever said, "He made me SO MAD!"
I used to say things like that a lot. But then I grew up.
We have to grow up before we can learn the great truth that no one can MAKE us mad. No one MAKE us feel anything!
My children are forever saying, "I hit him because he made me mad!"
We CHOOSE to feel what we feel. What do you think of that concept? It's a tough one, isn't it? It really kinda sucks because once you realize you are responsible for your own emotions there is no going back. You are FOREVER stuck with the knowledge that YOU are in charge of YOU! Imagine THAT! You can't BLAME anyone!
I have a friend who is constantly saying her spouse makes her feel like a bad person. She says, "I HATE myself because of him!" Hmmmmm. Come on! Is he really capable of making her hate herself?
My sister, Coral, is a phsychology major. She said when she read this idea in her texts books she was floored. She didn't know how to process the info. People were ALWAYS making her angry, sad, happy, etc... She wanted to disagree with the concept but the more she thought about it the more she realized the truth.
We can't even say "You made me LAUGH!"
The other day I was at my brother's place and I forced them to listen to me read my poem about Diet Coke. I thought it was pretty clever and funny. I laughed when i wrote it. I read it to them. Crickets chirped. (They are not the types to offer courtesy laughter, which I actually appreciate.)
When they didn't laugh I could have thought, "Wow. They just made me feel REALLY stupid!" But instead I thought, "Huh. Tough crowd." No big deal.
Sometimes I'm all excited about a blog I wrote and I eagerly check to see if anyone left me a comment. (Often people send me private messages regarding how great my blogs are, which is fine. I just wish the rest of the world could read how fab I am. But that's only because i'm needy. All writers are a little needy. Most performers, in fact, are needy. Look at meeee! Look at meee!) But then I see that no one has left me a comment. I feel a little bummed about that. But I must realize I am CHOOSING to feel rejected and dejected.
Some people say, "My kids make me crazy!" (I actually knew a chick who checked herself into a looney bin because she thought her kids/spouse made her nuts.) Hey, if you're nuts, you're nuts. Get some therapy or hairapy or take some meds. Anti-depressants are very popular among Mormon mommies with multiple children. Poppin pills won't make you happy though.
Guess what makes me happy? ME! Guess who makes you happy? ME! Ugh. I mean, YOU! Guess who makes me laugh? ME! Guess who makes you laugh? Again, ME! I mean, YOU!
I'm so glad we had this little chat. I hope I made you think. :)
