Reactions: where the mind cries, the soul laughs
This is a super fresh and quick anecdotal post.
Mixed signals
This morning I passed by a school. On the outside, a sign would read:
Entrance is permitted to school staff and users. Entrance is forbidden to outsiders.
The second sentence was highlighted by a solid fire red background. But the main door was open, and on a wall inside there was this writing:
ART 34 School is open to everyone…
(That’s a quote to the Article 34 of the Italian Constitution.)
I found it funny, it made me laugh, and I took a photo.
Later on, in the afternoon, I put that picture as a WhatsApp status (which is something I almost never do, but that doesn’t really matter).
A couple of friends reacted with a smiling emoji, but then just a few minutes ago I got a sad emoji reaction. And that made me suddenly realize something.
Same water, different outcome
I was already aware of this very impactful saying:
The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg.
I never knew its source, but it struck me ever since I’ve read it for the first time. I vaguely had it in mind even when I wrote my note On Softness.
Also, I had already taken notice that anything can have opposite motives.
Yet, I have just been struck again by a similar realization.
I want to be a Tigger
I can definitely see how that photo can trigger both laugh and bitterness.
My mind could (and often does) find tons of reasons to be sad about reality. But intellectuals are constantly worried, whereas simple people are happy.
Words are ultimately empty. They can be so useful, yet so unnecessary. We can fill them of the meaning we want.
Enlightment can be simple. I want to worry less, and laugh more at life.
You just have to decide if you’re a Tigger or you’re a Eeyore!