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Ponderous.

September 17th, 2009 Jessica Hagy Posted in optimism, patience |


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12 Responses to “Ponderous.”

  1. Rorius Says:
    September 17th, 2009 at 10:07 am

    So true, those who are bitter about things are often unable to see the good in what has happened. Every cloud has a silver lining, It’s just a matter of finding it.

  2. Mim Song Says:
    September 17th, 2009 at 10:56 am

    Gee, this is the first one I don’t agree with. Really good, complete reflection will always turn up something to regret. Moreover, the habit of skilled reflection grows over time, both deepening the reflection and adding more “reflectable” memories to the “inbox”. It’s what one does with the recognition of regret that yields or forestalls bitterness.

  3. Jay Says:
    September 17th, 2009 at 10:58 am

    This is why vampires are so bitter. They have no ability to reflect!

  4. a. noni mouse Says:
    September 17th, 2009 at 11:56 am

    ability to reflect
    time to reflect?
    option to reflect?

    there are times when circumstances trump the option to reflect, regardless of whether the individual has the skills or abilities to do so

  5. Chaz Says:
    September 17th, 2009 at 1:07 pm

    “Really good, complete reflection will always turn up something to regret.”

    Wow, I could not disagree more. Regret is a knee-jerk reaction to negative events which you haven’t had time to think about yet, and realize what they’ve taught you.

    Example: When my first wife left me, I regretting ever having met her. Now, though, we are still friends, and I would not discard the lessons learned there for anything; they’ve been paramount in my growth as a person, and could be solely responsible for my being able to have a healthy relationship.

    Regret is a poison clung onto by those who wish they could forget their past and change their future without doing anything in the present.

  6. agm Says:
    September 17th, 2009 at 2:57 pm

    Depending upon what one reflects upon, more reflection can easily mean more bitterness.

  7. Kit Stolz Says:
    September 17th, 2009 at 5:52 pm

    “To regret deeply is to live afresh.”

    Thoreau

  8. a. noni mouse Says:
    September 18th, 2009 at 8:55 am

    Chaz,

    Garth Brooks - “The Dance”
    http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/garthbrooks/thedance.html

  9. bryce Says:
    September 19th, 2009 at 2:00 am

    if only there were a cure for bitterness. that way i could finally see the silver lining…

  10. Henryk Wistreich Says:
    September 24th, 2009 at 6:26 am

    Very thought-provoking, Jessica.

    The more I reflect, the more it occurs to me that every silver lining has a cloud, too, and that there may even be some yin & yang in this.
    Nevertheless, trying to suppress reflecting over the cloud, or even seeing it, seems to be a natural response, and understandably so.

    @Mim Song: Regrets don’t necessarily imply bitterness - so there may be no quarrel there, really.

    @Jay: A beautiful one, this.

    @agm: Depends on one’s frame of mind, I guess.

    Makes me think of yet another shot at describing the difference between a pessimist and an optimist:

    Pessimist: Now it can’t get any worse.
    Optimist (cheerfully): Yes, it can! Yes, it can!

  11. Henryk Wistreich Says:
    September 24th, 2009 at 6:33 am

    @a. noni mouse: Yeah, that kind of says it all.

  12. eric Says:
    October 8th, 2009 at 10:57 am

    it would have been a lot funnier if it was the other way around

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