It doesn’t matter where you walk, run, dream or spin in circles…in every square, rectangle or octagon there’s always someone willing to toss a red rubber ball completely blessed with their problems, bad luck or reasons to stop believing; and like a good neighbor you’re always there.
Without a doubt your day instantly becomes overcrowded with their situation and like it or not you’re stuck dealing with the issues of having to help clean up the mess. Work hours are lost because you chose to listen, to hold open a caring and compassionate hand. Things get so bad something as simple as checking out your favorite song on the radio refuses to pick up your drive home.
Do you know why Oprah is a billionaire? It’s because we can’t live a single day without comparing our daily routines with someone having a worse day. People Magazine, US Weekly, Entertainment Tonight, E Entertainment News, American Idol…the more people suck the better we feel about ourselves.
Charlie Sheen’s bad behavior is the perfect medicine for coworkers and family members that spend every morning contemplating on whether it’s a great idea to show up at work on time. Seeing Charlie get fired hoisted the spirit of a lot of people because he’s painting the picture of evil department heads and by God he’s gonna fight the system to prove them wrong. He’s become the voice and face of those that believe, “As long as I’m in the building what does it matter what I’m doing before and after?”
Charlie Sheen hasn’t tossed his red rubber ball at fans of Two in a half Men—he’s attached a grenade to it. His actions in the past three weeks are no different than the person that sits next to you at work moping around how their career and personal life stink so bad the scent of death refuses to participate. Vultures have petitioned the makers of their purpose claiming, “Why waste my time?”
Here’s the thing…you don’t have to catch the red rubber ball.
Dr. Richard Carlson is the first to say, “There’s no better way to rid your life of excess stress than to keep your hands off that red rubber ball.”
Openly I admit, being an artist…I wear a lot of moods and swings on my shirt sleeve and creative people need places to hang their boogers. What I don’t support is making you the receiver in a football game that doesn’t require a passing game.
Dr. Richard explains that there are going to be days when someone being down requires a clown but you need to make it a choice to put on the face paint. Developing a more tranquil outlook on life requires that you know your own limits and you have the responsibility to keep that red rubber ball out of your system of play.
I love my sister to pieces but oh my God that girl has some stories. If I don’t answer her text message within a certain amount of time you might as well set Heaven on fire. Calmly I try to explain, “Give me air to breathe. When you write…write. Don’t write to air your bad situations so others can pick it up. Write to help clean out the closet. Write to give yourself permission to see the other side of the fence. Write to communicate with the billion personalities we all are. But never expect me to finish what you've written and or reply... There are only 24 hours in a day and all I want out of life is to be happy for 60 seconds.”
Dr. Richard reminds us that catching one red rubber ball means having to catch another then another. Without notice you’re being victimized without the person realizing their true behavior. You become resentful and overwhelmed which does what? It means its your turn to grab the red rubber ball and give it a hurl through the wind.
The moment you answer your phone the game is on. You’ve given permission to the caller to unload their red rubber balls. Hitting reply on emails and text messages is completely asking for a loss of control. Face Book is a disease that feeds a disease and with every entry there should be a warning like a pack of cigarettes: using this product may lead to an addiction. At times you might feel like Oprah or Billy Graham…and then there’ll be those days when it feels like nobody fricken cares. Get over it...find a new friend.
Even when someone throws an idea your way during a heated business meeting or conversation…the fact that you reached out to catch the red rubber ball puts you in the center of a CSI investigation that’s going to turn you into an accomplice.
Master Harris constantly reminds us that one of the seven needs for a human to survive is companionship…to which I ask, “Haven’t we taken it a little too far?” How do dogs and cats put up with us? I want what they’re on!
Teach yourself to stop catching the red rubber ball every time it begins to bounce your way. Charlie Sheen is a weapon of mass distraction.
I will always believe in you first…
arroecollins@clearchannel.com
No comments:
Post a Comment