Monday, July 6, 2009

How to Let Crazy Go

July 6, 2009

On my Facebook profile, I said that on my to-do list today was to let crazy go. I got some great responses from my friends, including one that said, "good luck with that-I've been trying to get rid of him but he keeps coming back." I have to thank the friend who made that comment, because it helped me realize something.

I've had that same experience, where every time something crazy happens, or more likely a person acts crazy to me, I want to try to make that craziness disappear and I never can. That then makes me feel crazy and suddenly I'm a dog chasing its tail.

My friend's comment helped me remember that crazy is always going to be around. It's like that weird guy at the bus stop. You see him every morning, maybe you start off saying hello and not noticing how insane he actually is. Eventually though, it hits you that he's really off his rocker in some way and now you still have to deal with him every morning when you get on the bus.

The times I get most upset are when the craziness blindsides me. If I don't see it coming, it hits me like a ton of bricks and takes me a really long time to recover from. But, if I can keep in mind that Crazy is always around, maybe I can deal with it more appropriately.

Maybe, knowing that the man at the bus stop is totally nuts, I can say, "hey there, crazy guy!" and smile and then let it go. He's still there and I know it, but I don't have to make it my personal problem that he exists, nor do I need to take him on as my cause. I only need to acknowledge his presence, if even just to myself. I can think, "Oh wow, there's Mr. Crazy again." But, I don't have to ingest it beyond that point.

So, for those friends who suddenly stopped talking to me for no apparent reason; for those people who act in any way that seems totally bizarre in a hurtful and thus crazy way; for all the hypocrisy, all the insanity that is just floating around in the world, I say, "hello, Mr. Crazy!" and then I let you go. You will not hold me down, at least not today. And, for as long as I can keep reminding myself to let you go, you will not take over or steal any more of my joy.

I know I won't be perfect at this. There will be things, probably everyday that will still surprise me for their craziness. That's OK. I don't want to be looking behind every person to see where their craziness is so I won't be shocked when I find it. I promise to still keep the faith when I meet a new friend, to trust people until they give me a reason not to, and to let life surprise me even if that scares me a little.

I just hope to recall, when I do get those inevitable shocks, that it's OK. Crazy is always floating around somewhere and I don't have to fix it or run away from it. I can just nod my head and walk on by.

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