Thursday, October 04, 2007

Tell Someone Who Cares!

I care about other people . . . . and I often worry too. I don’t always show it but issues affecting others often take up cerebral space and is incredibly distracting. I need all the grey matter I can get just to compensate for the 'affluence of incahol' and the onset of menopause, mad multi-tasking at work, household management, property negotiations and a number of other distractions that deserve my full attention.

Instead, I get all twisted and concerned. I get all anxious and obsessed. All care-bear and worry-wart over the silliest of things.

I get concerned about not keeping in touch with good friends. I have a number of people over on the Northern Beaches that actually care about me . . and I’m lucky if I talk to them once a year . . .pathetic.

I feel guilt at having forgotten to ring my brother in law the other day to wish him happy birthday despite the fact that I know he’s never selected a birthday present or called me in the 30 years we’ve known each other.

I worry about people I’ve never even met . . I read about your lives, trials and tribulations, talk to some of you, email others and have actually met a couple . . I feel involved and it touches me. (In a good way) but sometimes, I think I might have gone too far . . .

I worry about my chicky babe travelling around the Americas with her ‘messy’ friend who incidentally shamelessly announced that she had sex on an outdoor table behind where I was standing in the Beer Garden at the Mona Vale pub. The mind boggles.

I worry about my little lad and his inability to hang on to cash, form a budget or prioritise his spending habits or whether he’s going to break his back on a 40 foot motocross jump!

I worry about my ever-diminishing line of credit as it pays off an ever-increasing mortgage and no signs of developers swanning up to the front door with a briefcase of money.

I care about clients when things go wrong. I’ve lost sleep over share trades, lost forms, slow redemptions that might impact on the settlement of a flat or the comfort of someone going into Aged Care . . .these people have no idea that I get churned about their welfare.

I care about offending people with my straight talk and no-nonsense unsolicited advice. Believe me, I often do and without meaning it. Sometimes it saves lives . . other times it reduces once quite intimate conversations to recipe swaps.

A friend once said “Why the fuck to you care what anyone thinks.” As if I am asbestos coated with an ashphalt inside, some sort of rare exception. I don’t know why but I do. I’m an empathic soul with an enormous capacity for affection and a little experience which can sometimes be of help in Agony Aunt situations. I also get a bit upset if I think that others don’t care about me . . . yeh, yeh . . .I’m needy . . .but it’s better than not giving a damn.

. . .and I haven't even started on politics, the environment, the plight of the oppressed or my own eventual demise . . . .

What do you worry about? Don't want to share it publicly, then email bainbridge1610 at the g-spot.com. I will be happy to give you unsolicited advice and empathise with your situation or provide you with a good telling off!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure that worry is the right word... I think you're cursed with the gift of empathy.

This is a wonderful thing, because if it wasn't for people like you, organisations such as Amnesty and the Simon Community would never exist :)

I'll keep my eye out for a set of worry dolls for you to keep in your bedroom locker. They were my best friends when I was a puppy.

Anonymous said...

'In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.
~ Albert Schweitzer'

Baino you have that gift, share plenty!

Anonymous said...

As previously stated, you really should start charging.

After all, if people can sell their souls for some pies, think of the money you could make by offering Psychological Advice ...

Baino said...

K8: It can be wonderful if we can make a difference and I'm one of those deluded souls

GM: Great quote and I have those encounters all the time

DAZ: I think some qualification other than 'experienced mumsy type' might be required and your sardonic humour is not lost on me.

Excellent Adventures said...

How come I didn't inherit the worry wort gene? Must skip a generation. Please don't ever get into social work, you're stress levels are unnatural as they are!

Baino said...

CB: Haha . . funny, just had a bit of a physical and the doc said my blood pressure was 'borderline' and asked me if I was stressed. Of course I said no.

Excellent Adventures said...

Time for 6am walks next week! Good exercise and you'll feel more relaxed. Ok. Done.

Anonymous said...

Awwww...I really feel rotten now!!! I apologise for not commenting, but I'm always lurking in the shadows. :)

Okay, between now and Samhain, I'll at least stop by and say...."booo".

Baino said...

JD you are exonerated. You know you're spesh! Skype me!