Let it be known to all that I, Carol L. Skolnick, today have been a complete loony-tunes, that I am a few cards short of a deck, and that I am, as the publisher of a website that has an article of mine on it called me, "a nutcase."
Yep. I got officious over what I thought was a copyright infringement without having all the facts (turns out the web guy bought the content, I just never got paid by the content-selling website, and it could be that they tried and failed because I moved, I don't know yet)...made not-so-veiled threats about siccing a writer's watchdog website on him...copied the letter to that website...made assumptions based on past experience with my articles being "borrowed" without my permission...and in short I got it entirely wrong.
I am so wrong and so painfully aware of it that I have admitted as such to the webguy, who it could be said overreacted to my overreaction—and I just justified and defended, so scratch that last part. The guy's right about me, period. I was wrong. End of discussion.
Should I turn in my facilitator's credentials, or what? (Not to scare anyone in the BKI Certification Program; total sanity is not a requirement of any certification, degree, or profession: thank God or we'd have no philosophers, physicians, counselors, teachers, or grocers.)
Well, I'm not going to, because my recovery time was so damn quick...and that's what inquiry is about, my friends. Forget the hyperbole you hear about The Work, including any inadvertently coming from me; this stuff will not make you into a rational, balanced saint if you're not the rational, balanced, saintly type (and I'm not). What it can do is get you back on track so that you don't have to stew endlessly about silly things like the horror of being wrong, or of a ruined reputation. In fact, in our friendly universe, someone totally trashing your good name could be the best thing that ever happened. Who wants their self worth to be based on what the world thinks of you? How stressful is that, to have to live up to some good reputation, or overcome a not-so-good one? (I have lots of experience with this, believe me.)
Here's the best part. The guy wrote me, "Before you get your your bloomers in a bunch and start screeching like a black crow in heat, why don't you perform an inquiry first? Wow, that's an idea!"
There are gurus everywhere. That's a good thing for us nutcases with our knickers in a knot.
©2007 by Carol L. Skolnick; all rights reserved.
SOUL SURGERY: exercises in inquiry with Carol L. Skolnick, Coach/Facilitator ClearLifeSolutions.com
6 comments:
This post reminds me of the time I got upset about something and said the *f* word at least a dozen times. My good friend on the phone at the time said to me *I thought enlightened people didn't say those kind of words or get upset*. Well, at least I was enlightened enough to notice I was upset and moved on to clear up what I could.
I can understand why you would get your bloomers in a pinch considering how others have *borrowed* your material in the past.
And I have always considered it a great compliment when someone *steals* my creative ideas although I'd like to see the money and credit too.
xo Love, Marianne
Great post Carol.
This morning, while talking with a friend I said that I don't use The Work because I'm an angel or saint, I use it because I'm not and haven't been for most of my life! :-)
And I don't say that with pride, I say that to acknowledge that I am human, I can be an absolute devil at times and I know how painful that is for me and the impact it can have on others.
So, may your bloomers pinch as often as they do.
And speaking of bloomers... I have just invested in 3 pairs of boxers shorts, having been a strictly 'keep them close' kind of guy for many years.
I'm enjoying the new found freedom - not unlike using The Work!
With love, Jon
You have given our friendly universe an example of The Work in action that is every bit as valuable as any of Katie's videos.
Later, when you are in a "rational, balanced, saintly" place in your life, then you can give us something else--for now, this is fine.
Thank you.
By the way, are you going to be involved in Katie's Children's Workshop this fall?
Gosh, I may have to stop writing the spiritual stuff and just 'fess up more often. I get way more responses!
Marianne: I love what you wrote. Knowing we're insane is 95% of it. I was in trouble a lot more often when I thought I was just fine.
Jon: Good on ya! Down with tighty whities, let those bad boys breathe!
John A: Thanks for the kind words. I, too, think it is valuable to tell the real-life, "unspiritual" stuff; I like it when others do it.
I hadn't planned on attending the children's workshop, not being a child (chronologically, anyhow) or a parent or guardian, and I am no longer an educator of kids. I haven't been invited to staff it. And I'd love to be involved in it. So we'll see!
God save us from spiritual stuff :-)
I'm remembering my first dream of you Carol. When I was in your apartment, you were doing The Work with children. I think your love of children really shows brightly.
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