Adopting a self-tending stance toward life

by phil on Thursday Oct 23, 2008 3:57 PM

When I made myself a cup of tea today, this feminine image popped into my head, of women when they're tending to themselves. You know, curling up in their comfy silk PJs with a book, petting their cat. Of course men do this too, but I associate this with women. They make an extra effort to ensure the comforter on their bed is very cuddly. Or they sit in their kitchen nook and stare out the window, day-dreaming.

It's this self-tending, self-treating attitude that I was feeling. It's the same feeling I get when I catch myself buying myself a Twix bar at the gas station. Because I usually refrain from extraneous expenses, especially for unhealthy sweets. This self-loving, self-tending instinct, I believe, is healthy. It's a sign that things are good, and it also helps make things good. Maybe if things aren't actually good, it's a sign of a good response to yourself.

You can usually see these two personality-types or temperaments on an airplane. There's the guy that sits down, and is shaking his leg constantly, irritated by everything, and squirming and evil-eying everything. And there's the guy that brings out his inflatable pillow, pulls out his cherished pulp novel, takes off his shoes and stretches his feet, adjusts his shoulder and his seat back a bit.

I want to always be that second guy.