This morning the phrase ran through my head, "Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?" As usual, it straightened my head out immediately.
I originally heard the phrase from my Uncle Jerry, rest in peace. He and my aunt had gone to some kind of workshop.
I originally heard the phrase from my Uncle Jerry, rest in peace. He and my aunt had gone to some kind of workshop.
A workshop? My relatives? Relatives aren’t supposed to do that. It was a bit like when my Aunt Dottie, rest in peace (yes, most of them are gone, and just when I have so many questions for them), used to say, “Hang loose.”
It almost hurt my ears. “You can’t say ‘hang loose,’" I would think. I mean, she was too old.
How old was she? Probably not much older than some of my friends. But relatives never age. They're suspended in time back in the living room, holding forth on the issues of the day.
Anyway, Uncle Jerry gave me that phrase, and this morning when I looked to see where it came from—I thought it was probably the Center for Attitudinal Healing; I heard a tape of theirs once that was illuminating—I found this article. Whatever your thoughts on healthcare--past, present, or future--his insights are really good medicine.
©2011, 2013 Laynie Tzena.
Thanks for the great article. i shared it with a few people.
ReplyDelete"Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?" is a question often heard in the seminars and "workshops" at Landmark education.
It's very difficult to give up being right until you can see what it's costing you, happiness, intimacy, peace of mind, health and well being etc... We'd rather be unhappy, alone, divorced, sick...fighting wars... than give up being right. Even knowing this we sometimes hold on to our position like a cat stuck on a screen, and anyone who gets too close or tries to kelp get us unstuck could really get hurt.
Rosalie
In the (translated) words of my favorite poet:
"out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing,
there is a field.
I will meet you there..."
Rumi
Thanks, Rosalie. Love what Rumi said. My aunt and uncle's workshop, whatever it was, predated Erhard Seminar Training ("est") and its offshoot, Landmark, by quite some time.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoyed the attached piece Aaron Carroll wrote about healthcare. I think it provides much food for thought, as do your comments.