Opinions

7/16/2012

 Opinions

Everybody has an opinion and they can are generally good or bad depending on who's judging.  Take my family for instance.  The opinions expressed by the various family  members are as varied as the individuals themselves.  The only person whose opinion is seldom heard is mine and that's generally because nobody's really listening.  So today I'm going to climb up on the soap box and have my say - more or less.

I have one family member who is a shoot from the hip kind of guy who takes little or no time to concentrate on either his opinions and/or actions and consequences be damned.  And there are always consequences.  His actions and opinions most often fly directly into the face of opposition by other members of the family.  In addition to just the daily general family dynamics we added a family business to the mix several years ago - well if you stir that up long enough things can quickly get out of control.  And they do regularly.

Whatever the disagreement and whoever it involves, I find myself, as I have for years, in the middle.  I am mired in the muck wearing my paper-thin referee shirt trying to hear everybody's side.  Sometimes I feel as powerful as the Supreme Court when I weigh in on the situation. Now not everyone likes what I have to say and my good advice is not always taken or probably really heard.  Oh well at least I try.

Unfortunately at 62, I'm a bit frayed at the edges and tired of the battle.  I am happiest when I have little or no cellphone coverage and email is down because at the point there are no problems - or at least none that I know of.  Everyone rants and raves about the latest situation and when they're done they feel so much better, even if there has been no real resolution.  Why?  Because they have been heard.  Do I feel better?  In a  word - no.

I think caller ID was invented so that when you see that "number" pop up on the screen you can automatically brace yourself for the storm heading your way.  Confession - some days after looking at caller ID, I don't pick up.  Sorry but it's the truth.  It's preservation of life - mine.

You have to pick your battles and occasionally you should stop yourself and ask did you pick the right one?   Or are you arguing just for the hell of it?  Sometimes opinions are not always black and white.  There is a gray area and that's where I live.  

P