Wake up people! The opposite of love is not hate...

I have always enjoyed collecting quotes. Some of them hit to the core, and depending on the life situation you may be experiencing, they can be very insightful and inspiring. I’ll get to one of these quotes soon enough. One of the words that always intrigued me is the word “disregard.” According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary the definition of disregard is “to pay no attention to; to treat as unworthy of regard or notice; synonym, neglect. Over the years, this word has always puzzled me a great deal, not only because it demonstrates how emotionless a human being can actually be, but also because I could never understand why some people manage to coexist in a common social group, claim to love it, yet display a completely dismissive & ‘brush-off’ attitude, with a total lack of care & sympathy. It’s amazing how discrepancies between actions and words are so brutally evident. So does it mean their “medial insula and anterior cingulate” is basically fuc*&^$ up? Does it mean they have an antisocial personality and linger around to feed off other people’s pain?

I personally believe that the only plausible explanation lies in the brain. Yeah… That ugly, nasty looking sponge! Some screws must be severely missing when people simply don’t give a crap for things they claim are important to them. Think about this for a moment. Isn’t the whole premise of love based on caring for the object of your affection? Shouldn't the possibility of losing such an object cause some sort human effect? I’m telling you… Some people are just plain darned cold, which brings me to the epiphany of the day. Analyzing certain situations around my neck of the woods, suddenly this quote I'm about to write made a lot more sense to me, and stood out like a sore thumb. Pooft! I was laying in bed thinking and it popped up! Just like a light at the end of the tunnel. Just like the total cancer remission after a long chemotherapy treatment, or a sudden realization that you’re wasting your life’s energy on the wrong bulb. Leo Buscaglia was right all along: “The opposite of love is not hate, it's apathy. It's not giving a damn. If somebody hates me, they must feel something about me or they couldn't possibly hate.” Sleep on it! Think about it! Hypothetically speaking, if you are not getting the time of day from someone who supposedly loves you; if someone is brushing you off like pee on the toilet seat of a truck stop, if the things that are important to you mean ‘jack’ to your ‘honey bun,’ there might be a strong possibility that your little ‘schnukums’ is totally indifferent to your oblivious guts, or you are severely delusional.

So here’s my thought, and this is not by any means a piece of advice. If advice were that great, people would be selling it on street corners. Just take it as another “biatching” session.

* Don’t put up with people that don't care about you;

* If it’s not a two way street, you might consider taking a detour. It will get you "there" more effectively, if you are safe and smart, it's hassle free, and no one needs to know; (This quote should've ended on “detour”).

* Life is really short. Really! It’s not just a cliché. Don’t waste your precious life on things and people that are not worth your time. A few years down the road, when you look in the mirror and see a prune, you’ll regret it.

* If you ever did anything, or hung out with people that made you smile, try to recreate that moment and do it again. Laughter lowers the blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, increases muscle flexion, and boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon, and B-cells. If you didn’t understand all that medical bullshit, do it anyway. It’s fun and it’ll bring you great moments of happiness;

* There’s no such thing as a "state of happiness." What we really experience can be defined as "moments of happiness." When they come, don’t shy away from it. Enjoy every ounce of it like a martini after a bad date;

* Surround yourself by people that bring you up. Take a rain check on those who put you down;

* Pick your battles carefully. There are some battles worth fighting for, others merely waste of time and effort;

* Value your parents. Cherish them like a precious jewel. That’s the only true unconditional love you’ll ever find;

* Raise your children well. They might come back to take care of your old shriveled self, or make enough money to dump you on a "Five Star DW2DWU” facility;

* If you are suffering from HWD, hug someone, even if you have to fly across the ocean. It will recharge your batteries;

* Don’t try to figure out every single thing in this world. One lifetime is not enough to grasp nature around us. Think of it as a gargantuan Nuthouse. If you are a Religious Nut, send me a ticket to visit you when you reach Nirvana;

* Make time for yourself. Find a hobby. Travel! Enjoy some of the simple things in life, like reading a book, watching the sunset, playing in the snow, making love, skinny dipping, drinking a cold beer at the beach on a hot day, or party with your friends all night long… Ooooooookay! I’m going downhill here. Stick with the sunset!

* And finally… You RIPPED into this world all alone. You will RIP all alone too. So take good care of yourself…. Because if you don’t do it, no one else will do it for you.

Cheers,
Cranky Blogger


PS: Is there anything making you cranky today? Speak up! The floor is yours!