Not to be Shared
It’s exciting to get a direction telling me not to share something. Social media lives off of all the sharing we do. Aliens who check out Instagram probably can’t wait to see all of the beautiful humans when they get here. We look so glamorous, intelligent and fun. They might be disappointed when they get here and see the real humans mindlessly on autopilot and dressed like they don’t own mirrors. All the same, having knowledge of something that shouldn’t be shared makes me feel special. Of course, I want to share that stuff almost immediately.
Sharing is Caring
We are raised up with the belief that it is good to share. Especially when you have more than enough. Even more especially when it is a bigger sacrifice that puts you in minor scarcity. That’s real sharing. We admire folks who do that and realize that our shared belief from childhood wasn’t the same as theirs. Sharing is flexible. Certain holidays or celebrations tend to prompt some thoughts about giving more but not so much that you wouldn’t still have a good time. Dozens of articles on the virtue of generosity show up at this time of year although it does give you a warm feeling when you indulge in it.
Share yourself
Common times when we are asked to share something are communal in nature. Circles of chairs, long family tables, meetings with new colleagues, interviews and therapy sessions often start with a request to share something. We tend not to make these requests to the deli associate slicing our cheese, the mailperson, our neighbors or the musician standing on the corner playing some tunes for our entertainment. We don’t want to interrupt them or take too much time or maybe care to because these interactions aren’t very long. But it is a chance to practice being curious. Instead of asking someone how they are doing, maybe we should start asking them what pleasant thing happened to them recently. It would be a chance for them to think about something good and relive it. After they get past the awkward wondering about the question, they might show some trust and tell you. You generously exhibited some interest in them.
Let me Share This
There is a shared human experience that we don’t really share. I want to be brave enough to tell you that we all tend to think of ourselves as a little weird. A little special. A little different. I absolutely am and now that it is out there, don’t mind the fact that I have acknowledged it. I secretly have known it a long time but didn’t realize that you shared this same issue until recently. Humans have this thought regularly and don’t share this thought with each other. We think we shouldn’t share this fact because others haven’t owned up to it enough and we haven’t universally acknowledged it. Maybe it’s because those who don’t want to accept our shared experience don’t think they are like us. Maybe no one has shared it with them yet.
Can the most shared human experience be the one thing least shared by humans? Are there times when uniqueness is overrated? Are you alright about being a little weird?
