Yup-That’s me all drained and sad thinking-“You DEPLETE me.” Can’t you SEE?
Recently I have had the misfortune of having a very negative and cynical person make their way into my otherwise peaceful life. I’m sure we all at one point or another have had people like that in our lives. I work hard every day doing things to help increase my pranic energies (positive life force) by making meditation, prayers, japa, kriyas, yoga, positive reading etc a part of my daily life. These practices really help uplift me and help me lead a life as ideal as possible. We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. ~Oscar Wilde,Lady Windermere’s Fan, 1893 But with this person, what should be thirty minutes of frivolous and harmless social exchange always ends up with me ending up completely depleted and down and frustrated. All this person does is pick on me, question every statement I make and pick it apart. They question all my choices and any decision related to anything as simple as a meal I have cooked to, where I shop and what I buy to family related matters. Extremely NOSY asks too many personal questions and then tries to give me parenting advice, housekeeping advice and financial advice. Negatively comments on everything. Only sees negative things. My house can be spic and span, but if I missed a crumb it will be sarcastically announced out loud. This person has the talent of turning innocuous topics into a debate and argument and won’t stop until they’ve hammered me and fractured my spirit. They leave happy after feeding off of me while I am left to pick up the pieces again. Based on this person’s gossip I infer I am just one of many in a trail of (this person’s) victims. This person takes pleasure in another’s sorrow – keeps highlighting them, picking on them and tormenting them and blaming them- followed by LIFE ADVICE on what they should have done, or should be doing. There is always a better and correct way of doing something and its always THEIR WAY. My first line of defense is –IGNORE. Tried but failed. Second is to talk and make sense. Failed plus draining. Like talking to a wall. Third is AVOID. This is what I am going to do now. Just avoid one on one time with this person and continue doing things that bring positive energy and upliftment. When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares. ~Henri Nouwen It is with narrow-souled people as with narrow-necked bottles: the less they have in them, the more noise they make in pouring it out. ~Alexander Pope If it’s very painful for you to criticize your friends — you’re safe in doing it. But if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that’s the time to hold your tongue. ~Alice Duer Miller When you are in trouble, people who call to sympathize are really looking for the particulars. ~Edgar Watson Howe, Country Town Sayings, 1911 A loyal friend laughs at your jokes when they’re not so good, and sympathizes with your problems when they’re not so bad. ~Arnold H. Glasgow
Yachna Yoga 