I was having a moan about Winchester today.
'I'm going to have to move. There's just no culture here. I want to live somewhere things are happening, there's cultural diversity, things to go and see, music, photographic exhibitions, you know...'
The guy I was chatting to listened thoughtfully for a moment, and then he said...
'I guess I sort of create my own culture...'
What? He's lived in Winchester for 8 years and has no expectations of Winchester providing his culture for him, and feeling disappointed when it doesn't?
As I came home, I started thinking about all the projections I've put on Winchester. How let down I feel that it doesn't provide things I want to go to or get involved in. What's on is just not my scene. I've been moaning about it for years. Planning a future escape to the Metropolis where I can lose myself in as much culture as I want. Fed up with feeling culturally deprived and impoverished. I'm leaving...
Suddenly his gentle comment woke me up.
'I'm going to have to move. There's just no culture here. I want to live somewhere things are happening, there's cultural diversity, things to go and see, music, photographic exhibitions, you know...'
The guy I was chatting to listened thoughtfully for a moment, and then he said...
'I guess I sort of create my own culture...'
What? He's lived in Winchester for 8 years and has no expectations of Winchester providing his culture for him, and feeling disappointed when it doesn't?
As I came home, I started thinking about all the projections I've put on Winchester. How let down I feel that it doesn't provide things I want to go to or get involved in. What's on is just not my scene. I've been moaning about it for years. Planning a future escape to the Metropolis where I can lose myself in as much culture as I want. Fed up with feeling culturally deprived and impoverished. I'm leaving...
Suddenly his gentle comment woke me up.
Here's someone who never expected Winchester to satisfy his cultural needs.
So this time it's my turn to 'Try this'...
So this time it's my turn to 'Try this'...
What happens when I stop blaming the town I live in and take responsibility for creating the culture I want to experience?
Here's your synchronistic friend again! I wrote a short piece the other day as an idea for a blog postings - I'll post it here instead of on my own blogspot as it's the same idea. It's strange how we have a tendency to treat the people in our lives as if they were our employees. i.e. we have unconscious job descriptions for them (and they don’t necessarily know what these are!). E.g. job des of husband: responsible for mowing lawn, helping with shopping, making me happy, best friend, keeping me company, listening to my woes, etc... And then, when they don't deliver, we accuse them of letting us down! So, I think the only job description we should honour is the one we write for ourselves, and that should be a very simple one - love life, give peace & consolation to those who need it, and exercise your power to create happiness in yourself and others :)
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