Therapy

I had a confrontation today. With the manager/owner of the gym I go to. Basically, I politely suggested she move the lower weight dumbbells (They are in a little pyramid ranging from 3lbs to 20lbs and I use the 12.5, 15 and 17.5 ones a lot) BACK to their previous location because their new location is causing several problems around the gym, and she  basically said my idea was stupid (yes, she actually said “That’s stupid”), and that if I can’t handle doing my workout in the area that just has 5, 10, 15, and 20lbs weights, then I don’t need to be working out over there at all. Because there’s only a 3lbs difference between 17.5 and 20. I kept trying to reason with her for a while, her staff had previously told me I was right and that they agreed with me, but the manager wouldn’t listen to them. The whole time I was talking to her, she was rude, wouldn’t maintain eye contact and was really dismissive. Eventually I just said, “Well, alright then. Just wanted to bring the problem to your attention.” and left. Her staff looking on apologetically.

I was pretty ticked off by this. I couldn’t seem to calm down, I was just mad.

So what did I do? I baked cookies. That helped a lot. Cookies I can’t actually eat, due to a gluten allergy, but cookies I am going to give to my friend who makes the cool videos, because he’s got a slight obsession with my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Doing something nice for someone is great therapy. Though usually I just stew about it until I get tired. Cause I’m silly.

My previous post “Soft & Lovely” actually came back to me as I was driving home, thinking about all the things I wished I’d said to that lady, while listening to Air1, my favorite Christian radio station. (Ironic, yes?) I realized, if I really want to be soft and lovely, I have to extend that kind and gentle nature to everyone. Not trust everyone, or be a pushover and let people walk all over me, but be respectful. Not respond to rudeness by returning it. I didn’t respond in an ill way today, but I had been thinking about saying something to her next time I see her. But I see now that it’s not worth it. There’s no profitable outcome from it.

Anyway, that’s my little life lesson of the day. ^_^

Until next time!

~TQG

Soft & Lovely

Turn soft and lovely any time you have a chance.

I want to be the comforter. The care-giver. The healer. The one who you go to when you need a soft, kind word and a moment of peace. I want to build you up, encourage you along, support you in your efforts. I want to be the one who can offer a correction in a gentle and quiet way, that leads to conviction and change rather than defensiveness. I don’t want to be in the spotlight, I want to be the one backstage, with a smile, saying “I always knew you could do it.” I want to be the one who knows what’s on your heart, someone you feel safe sharing your struggles with because you know I’ll keep it to myself.
I want to be the one you miss when I’m not around. The one you know to be loyal and true. The one you go to after a long hard day.

I want to be soft and lovely. Calm and peaceful. Comfortable. Gentle. Warm.

I hope I’m succeeding.

Beauty Ascends

Beauty descents from God into nature: but there it would perish and does except when Man appreciates it with worship and thus as it were sends it back to God: so that through his consciousness what descended ascends again and the perfect circle is made.

~C.S. Lewis, August 28, 1930 in a letter to Arthor Greeves.

For reflection on Psalm 96:1-13