Chatting

Today was one of those long days. It went by really fast, but now when I look back on it, I realize it was incredibly long, from a lot of perspectives. It started such a long time ago, and so many things happened. I got a lot of things done and postponed reasonably lot for tomorrow; I got higher than average quantity of lessons learned (both simple things and complicated ones). I experienced a strange succession of frowning and smiling (even laughing!), relaxing and concentrating; purely enjoying myself and others, then getting genuinely mad (both at myself and at others).

I remember a nice chat I had last month with a special person, who played an important part in designing my life path. He told me about one of his regular days lately – a strange succession of agony and ecstasy, good and bad surprises, while things happen around him, at a rather incredible pace. It is the second time I think of those words this month, because I started feeling the same. I cannot measure exactly whether the “good” portion is generally larger than the “bad”, or the other way around. I don’t even think it matters that much – the important part is that they alternate. There is a flavor of addictiveness in such succession of events – you live anticipating the good parts, because you know they are hidden behind the ugly ones that are right in front of you. Life gives you a reasonable quantity of sweeteners to help you swallow the bitter pills. Depending on personal endurance threshold, each of us goes ahead or chooses when it is time to stop and turn the page.

On the radio it plays “Live and let die” (Guns N’ Roses). I have not heard it in a long time. The lyrics are actually quite silly except this line, which is a good life lesson. We have a rather similar saying in Romania, which goes like this: “the ones that you won’t let die, will not let you live”. I am not sure the translation is accurate, but the meaning is that you need to let go – the saying is about people, but can also be applied to things (both good and bad!). If you do not let go, you will most probably not get ahead with your own life.

It may sound cruel sometimes but it is not, it is just a matter of survival. It can also be a matter of forgiveness or of courage, of overcoming your grief or facing your indecision. Generally it is about heading into the future with a lighter heart. I recently read somewhere that there is a possible explanation why paranoids are currently quite wide-spread within the population. It has to do with genetics and the theory of evolution. The ones that were suspicious of everything in the past centuries, used to leave longer in those time (overcame hardships such as war and famine), therefore they had more off-springs than the brave young heroes that would venture in battle, and then successfully got themselves killed before having any kids. It makes sense, right?

Now Mettallica is playing ‘Nothing else matters’; strange succession of songs, as a nice ending for this long day. ‘Forever trusting who we are’ and ‘every day for us something new’ – this song is one of the best selection of motivational quotes ever (you can check it out here ).

But I need to get back to the topic now, as it is getting quite late. I usually write the text first, and then think of a title for it. Today however I started with the title, as I wanted to chat with you about “chatting”. I had some good quality chats today – some professional, some personal, some mixing both in a nice combination. I also planned some future quality chats, which I look forward to - some with good old friends, some new and exploratory, some just for the sake of it. It is strange how we develop as social beings, how the “net” I was talking about last week (in the “ant paths” story) weaves its strange way around us.

There are many different ways of communication between people, and what we believe to be the most advanced one – the spoken language – is one of the most treacherous. The words can hurt easily; they cannot be usually taken back, but can be interpreted and misused. People talk, sing, preach, argue, debate, gossip. For me however, the finest of all the verbal expressions and one of the most rewarding, seems to be the simple chatting.

Someone dear to me asked me recently why I am writing like this - meaning to a larger public. Why don’t I just think of those things, and maybe share – but only with a couple of friends. I answered that I just enjoy doing this. I am not sure how other people perceive it, but for me ‘chatting’ is a combination of communication with relaxation, self- and mutual discovery. Whatever does not bring any satisfaction to the parties, cannot qualify as chatting – at least not in my book.

And what I like most about my posts is the answers I receive to them. I like that people take the time to write to me, share some of their feelings and thoughts on the subject, without the fear of placing themselves in danger at any time. I believe there is a mutual trust that we build on a personal level. I enjoy learning things about them, which I would never share with others – it is just an intimate exchange of thoughts and sometimes of feelings, which brings a smile onto my face, and helps with the daily balance. It makes me put some chocolate frosting on the mandatory meal which is delivered to my morning table.

I seek quality and a bit of satisfaction in my chatting exercises. Otherwise I would consider it a pure waste of time. That is why, to conclude for today, I let you know that I enjoyed chatting with you again and… I hope you still enjoyed reading.

Thank you for that,
Georgina