One Last Dance, Chance:  Toe-to-toe, Do-Si-do...Squaring, Swearing Off...From Futility to Utility

Petty or Pink?! To be explained, utilized later...read on...

One Last Dance, Chance, My Own Stance: The dance of conflict, that is, one we are all too familiar with when/after dealing with a "DIFFICULT!" person, in and around the home, even in "The House" (in and around the Capitol), as we have witnessed time and again, to the point of fatigue, weariness, "time out!". In my office it frequently goes something like this:                                                                              Difficult/Challenging Child/Adolescent (feeling it): "You can't make me; you can't stop me!"                    Frustrated Parent (not having it): "Wanna' bet?! I'll give you one last chance and then..."                            Me (Accustomed to this): "Wait, hold on a minute, let's back up and start over"                                            Parents/Child (In Unison, actually in harmony for a second): "What do ya mean?!"                                      Me (taking a page from "this stuff almost always works", winking to the parents): "Remember how this country of ours came into being?"                                                                                                                  Rebelling Adolescent: "Yeah, we had some type of revolt, right?"                                                                Me, using experience as our guide, our teacher: "Who revolted, why, and do you know how many lives were lost to the cause?"                                                                                                                                  RA: "Probably a lot, right...I think I know where you're going with this" (parents winking in understanding)                                                                                                                                            Me: "Yeah, so do you think what you are rebelling against, defying your parents, approaches the level of importance that the colonists placed on the decision to throw the tea into harbor, and eventually push the loyalists back to King George III?"                                                                                                                RA; "Well, you got me there, you have obviously studied history longer..."                                                  Me: "Okay, we're almost done, one more question, if you ever were in such a situation would you have the courage to step up, especially on behalf of someone who is in a lesser position?"                                  RA (with parents anxiously waiting the response): "Well...I honestly don't know..." Humility!                      Me (dancing gracefully, modeling conciliation): "OK then, let's return to the issue of the moment, to that which compelled you to defy your parents, forsake your freedom, lose privileges..." Perspective gained. 

And so it goes, the dance...one which starts by the 'difficult' one and the 'other' facing off in response to acts of defiance...and the parent (or, at least more 'mature' one in this dance) taking the lead who, instead of going toe to toe, (semi)embraces defiance and, with finesse like that I am able to demo in my office, redirect it to places where it's more functional, where it may actually serve others. In the meantime, I leave both partners in this dance with the respective questions:

To the parent, mature, at least more experienced dance partner: "Are you ready to lead?"

To the "Defiant Ones" (see 1958 original, 1986 remake): "Can we count on you, when it really matters?"

To both, some song to go with the dance...so as to have the whole shebang, the complete "Song and Dance", I bring you just two samples from a gigabyte of songs, ballads dedicated to the idea and encouragement of defiance, being on the ready to fight, as well as taking a more worthwhile stand...

From 'fighting for fighting's sake': "I wanna get in trouble                                                                                                                                      I wanna start a fight..." From "So What" by Pink, 2008, chronicling the adventures of the 'protagonist' following the separation from her husband 6 months prior...

To 'standing up for a cause': "You can stand me up at the gates of hell                                                                                                         but I won't back down..." From "I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty, 1989, written in part as a response to an arsonist attack on his family...a form of self-therapy.

So there you have it -- always reasons to start a fight, defy, and at other times stand up for a cause, even on behalf of another. Meanwhile, parents and children of all ages will just keep dancing the dance...

                                                                                         

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

New knews, in brief, from those in the know... On behalf of the unknowing. Also, for those immersed in religious observances, and the other “unwashed” (charitably “uniformed”)… In the briefest of moments, the temporary cease fire in the mid-east region of the world…giving new meaning to “temp”… Speaking of military and fronts, isn’t a knew twist to see a secretary of defense be put in the defensive due to his error raid signals that he has been putting out there at high frequencies… And another foreign service server informs us that plenty of add Vance notice was given in order for JD not look too conspicuous, given his mixed religious observances in his own home, to first visit the home of the pope to be followed by a fly bye to India, where he will just by convenience extend a hello to his wife's extended family (whereas her parents are professors in residence in San Diego --  talk about all knowing😔 -- all on what could soon be our “last dime”, given the thinning of minting out...
Read more
Making History, one way or another... "Let's make history..." Said one truant to the other..."we can still make it, as our teacher tends to go off..." OR, is it... "Let's skip the whole thing, all-together,..." As "There's nothing knew here...we all know how this is going to turn out...doesn't really matter...may as well stay home..." "On the brink, I think..." OR, is it... Brink, sure could use a… One more tally, still time for late night rally… A rising wave...of cynicism... Name, blame calling... "It's the e-conomy, stupid!"  Or, is it "The stupid economy that cost me..." Either/OR... My own humble hope… while we find ourselves... In the midst of…while still too close to call… A post and a toast... To one, to all...you and U.S.... Having lived through... Or, in some cases, slept through... Lessons in History... having endured... "Too close for comfort" AKA, OR, "keep your distanc...
Read more
  "King David, where art Thou?" Here and Now: When I need and you most...for a quote, a tip, let alone a quip... Clever crafted commentary: At his best, in his field, "In my humble opinion..."  "Coming to you tonight..." Each and every night, assuming we welcomed him with his partner, known in our home, as simply "Chet" when we referred to him on his own, but more formally when paired with "David" as the "Huntley-Brinkley" reporting team... Distinctly Brinkley: who got called on whenever things around here, US, were on the brink... "Sow, David..." It's how I heard it, and still remember it, as he was asked to comment, well into the eve of what was casted to be his final telecast of this type, on the eve of a second coming...of the Clintons, their return to the White House...a second (merry) go round... "For the love of Mike!" While he was not shy of the microphone, having gotten used to one on his desk ...
Read more