We heard from difficult child. Doing well.

[witzend]

I'm glad that your difficult child has landed on two feet. It is difficult to let go when those moments aren't constantly taken up by our investment in them.

I had round two with my therapist today. I'm to start keeping a list of when I am bothered by anxious thoughts - what am I doing, what did I think of, what was the resolution - so that we can identify triggers and decide how to overcome or leave them behind. And, I'm going to start working on a deep breathing technique.

It's interesting that you quoted that particular verse as a matter of patience. The quote is from Othello, spoken by the (super) villain Iago to Roderigo, who wants to go home to Venice because he has spent all of the money he borrowed from Iago and hasn't remedied his problem with it. Iago is pacifying Roderigo, stringing him along in an effort to maintain control and loan more money to Roderigo so that he (Iago) can get Desdemona by any means necessary, including forgiving Roderigo's debt should Roderigo help him in his nefarious quest. In Shakespeare the villains always give what sounds like the wisest counsel, to their best advantage.

 

[scent of cedar]

I had round two with my therapist today. I'm to start keeping a list of when I am bothered by anxious thoughts - what am I doing, what did I think of, what was the resolution - so that we can identify triggers and decide how to overcome or leave them behind. And, I'm going to start working on a deep breathing technique.

It's interesting that you quoted that particular verse as a matter of patience. The quote is from Othello, spoken by the (super) villain Iago to Roderigo, who wants to go home to Venice because he has spent all of the money he borrowed from Iago and hasn't remedied his problem with it. Iago is pacifying Roderigo, stringing him along in an effort to maintain control and loan more money to Roderigo so that he (Iago) can get Desdemona by any means necessary, including forgiving Roderigo's debt should Roderigo help him in his nefarious quest. In Shakespeare the villains always give what sounds like the wisest counsel, to their best advantage.

Witz, it sounds like you are able to trust this therapist to bring, and to bring you back safely, from old trauma. That is fantastic. I am happy for you. That feeling of recognizing we have a choice in how we interpret ourselves in the world is breathtaking ~ and scary. When therapy started to work for me, I can remember describing that I felt like one of those water spiders, balancing on the surface tension of some frighteningly large body of water. Therapy, for me, was more about imagery than words? And the successful resolution of that imagery was...water spiders are MEANT to swim and dive and survive the turbulence and trauma of deep water. In fact? Water spiders are masters of their element. AND CAN BREATHE, FOR A TIME, UNDER WATER. THEY CARRY A BUBBLE OF AIR WITH THEM, WHEN THEY DIVE.

See? That imagery is that important to me, even today. Capitalization rocks!

:O)

It was interesting, Witz. I had never envisioned myself as someone moving easily through my own element, had never understood that I might be frightened of my own core self.

Brene Brown has some material out now, about embracing our vulnerabilities. I am taking a look at things from that perspective.

I really am happy for you. :O)

*******
Re: Othello

Awesome information, Witz! This is the clearest description of plot and meaning I have ever read. :O) I am always curious about Shakespeare ~ but have never stuck with it long enough to get past the language barrier. So, your comments, being so clearly written, set me on a search of my own. This is what I found, for others of us who may have had an old curiosity reawakened by Witz' response:

No Fear Shakespeare / Othello

I could not get the link to work. If you put the above info into Google, that will bring the site up.

The verse as written appears on one side of the page, and the modern English translation, on the other.

I like this, Witz. :O) Thank you!

Barbara

 

[witzend]

Barbara, I think that may be where I found that particular quote at, or one like it. Knowing the story of (The Tragedy of) Othello it was easier to know why they were saying what they were saying.

I think that the first time I really understood watching Shakespeare was when I first watched it with the closed captioning on. When I try to read it, it can be difficult even with annotations. Reading and watching the actions make much more sense. But, if you want to read the best annotated versions of Shakespeare's plays you'll find it in the stage production scripts. Not only will they explain the relevant meanings of passages, it will give historical reference to words and phrases.