Costanza Effect

A L O H A !

" The noblest kind

of retribution
 is not to become 

like your enemy. "

 Marcus Aurelius

" One of the characteristics of the dream

 is that nothing surprises us in it. "

Jean Cocteau

" The day will come

 when the people will make 

so insistent their demand

 that there be peace in the world
 that the Governments 

will get out of the way

 and let them have peace. "

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

US President

broadcast discussion, Aug. 31, 1959

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When I was little

I didn't understand about

stress,

or personality issues,

or adult attention-deficit.

All I knew

was that my parents didn't

nurture or calm me.

In fact,

 they were a huge source

of stress in my child's world.

 I remember crying in my room.

Stuck in pain, I could only hold on to

"Some day"

the some day when I could escape.

"Don't forget!" I made myself promise.

"Don't forget how they treated you

when they are old

and try to pretend

that none of this ever happened.

Don't fall for their lies.

Escape, and stay escaped!

I had my first apartment

at age 16.

Fast forward

to today. . .

Watching SEINFELD on TV

I observed how George Costanza's family

is always yelling & screaming

like my own.

George ends up yelling back at them.

Doing so, he resembles them,

he acts like them,

he carries on the family

way.

I call it the Costanza Effect

and I don't want to do it!

I will count to ten,

I will excuse myself.

But I will not treat

THEM

like they treated

me.

Ah!  Meaningful Victory!

How do you handle difficult people?

Thanks for visiting

                              Warmly, cloudia