I’m in the McDonald’s near my house, sitting near the play area. There’s one little girl — maybe 5 years old — who’s here with her father. He’s about my age, so he’s older than the typical father of a 5-year-old. Even though she’s the only kid here, the girl is giggling and having fun by herself. She periodically cries out, “Daddy, look!” And then she shows off something she thinks is impressive. Then, just a moment ago, she called out very sweetly, “Daddy?” He patiently said, “Yes, sweetheart.” And then she said, “Daddy, I love you so much!” And then she went back to playing as her father looked on with happiness and love.
AUDIO: Someone holding a grudge feels like poison from the past
Why would she still be angry enough to say nasty things about me 10 years later?
That’s all I could think about today when I found out — quite by accident — that an ex-girlfriend is still bad-mouthing me 10 years after we broke up.
Even though it’s a long-dead relationship — and it’s one that should have ended long before it did — I still hate the thought of someone speaking badly about me. I’ve spent much of the day trying to figure out why it bothers me.
AUDIO: We lose the love we need by letting imperfections scare us
Most people find great love in their lives at one point or another but the vast majority of them end up with someone other than with that person they had so passionately connected with. Why is that?
A friend sent me a song a couple of days ago and had some thoughts about lost love which she shared with me — and that’s left me thinking about why this common pattern happens. I still don’t really feel like writing, so pull up a chair and just let me talk with you about what’s on my mind — about why most of us give up what does matter in order to keep projecting an image which doesn’t really matter.
Briefly: Joy turned to disappointment as I realized there was no one to talk with
Briefly: Spending time with children makes me eager for my own
Briefly: Death of Mad magazine is a blow to my memories of irreverent humor
Primitive instincts: Why do we ‘fall in love’ with politicians?
Steve Jobs goes out as iconoclastic visionary many of us long to be
Insane incentives create insane results as kids are paid to attend classes
Need for love drives behaviors; for me, old needs make me eat
God may be working on what we need long before we can see it
When governments keep secrets, you’re probably being lied to