I spent the whole weekend obsessing about the US election. Obsessing. Couldn't stop thinking about it. I was having emotional reactions that were way out of proportion to any actual events. And I felt terrible. By yesterday afternoon I was in the throes of a migraine, making good on my threat that if I didn't stop thinking about this, my head was going to explode.
A wise therapist once told a friend of my husband's (yes, I'm getting this third hand) that whenever our emotional reaction to something (or someone) is above a seven on a scale of one to ten, the reaction is not really about that thing (or person) at all. When I react strongly, it's about me, about something that happened in my past.
So, I know that what's going on isn't really about the mental love triangle I've got going between Hillary Clinton (whose ghost remains in the election), Barack Obama and John McCain. It's not about politics or what's best for this country. It's about me. But to get at what it is, I'm going to have to go back in time: to the last election, to my abortion, to my husband's last relapse, to how in the national drama is reflecting my personal drama back at me. And since working my shit out is what I created this space for, I'm going to use it. So, there will be politics in posts over the next few days, but they won't be about politics.
Ya know I think I heard that saying before - its nice to get a reminder of it - I wait patiently for your writing. Cat
I saw Obama speak here, and felt better for the experience. But we all have our reasons for who we like--and most of them beyond logic.
This though is to wish you luck on through whatever it is we need to work through. And selfishly I'd like to hear your take on things and what conclusions you come to.
Wow, that is so true that an emotional reaction above a seven is never about the issue in hand. I'll remember that one. Thank you.