Tag Archives: friends

Three Kinds of Everything

Three kinds of Friends

Friends whose intentions, I understand.

Friends whose intentions I am confused about.

Friends whose intentions I consistently get wrong.    These all tend to overlap.

Why I get them wrong so consistently is a mystery to me. It is as if my brain were wired to make that kind of wrong decision. Or it actually is that my brain is wired to make that kind of wrong decision. At the moment, I can not see a difference. It is just a distinction.

It is also an interesting conundrum.

I am consistently mystified by how people react to things. Most of the time, I know pretty well how people are going to react… until they actually do. Then I am mystified. The only reasons I can see for the error are… negative. And they are almost always reasonably logical… to a point…

But I am even more flustered by my inability to understand who to trust. Nice… huh?

Ultimately, it may not mean anything. Or it could have the golden key to success. Mostly likely, it is somewhere in between… near the middle. But it remains totally unpredictable to me. I may have mentioned, Lori will explain what I did wrong, and I get it… but it still does not make sense. I would still react the same way – wouldn’t everyone? I feel my reactions are every bit as reasonable as everyone else’s… at least so. Perhaps. Right?

At least in this case. Maybe that is advice for next time?… 😉

Did I mention, I can not tell who is which kind of friend? And it can change?? Quickly???

And no-one will understand what the hell is going on. People tend to drift away. And that is totally Normal for them to do! It is rare that I have ever thought the other person responsible. I know I messed up, I just can’t understand how, or why!

There are 3 kinds of people…

People who can count, and people who can’t.

Voices from the Past

I read a poem this morning about losing friends… Anonymously Autistic.

It started me thinking… it does not take much to start me thinking. I lost my friends in the 1970-80’s. For a long time after that, I was working so much, it did not seem to matter. Then I had to retire early because my brain was not cooperating enough. Then I discovered I had not actually made any friends in my many years there. They were all gone in an instant.

Try hard to keep friends, but some people can never understand… and some people will not ever understand. It is sometimes difficult to tell them about. But let them go, and hug your friends.

I don’t get angry about it… I always felt guilty about what happened. After all, it was probably my fault. I am not always an easy person to be around ← under-statement. Being alone is difficult at times. I have some great memories, and I try to hold on to those. But it is not the same.

Keep your friends close. Let them into your life. Try to share your inner feelings. There will be some friends that will stick by you thru it all. Look for those people. They are probably right in front of you.

One thing I have learned… once they are gone… that is it. There is no point trying to get back lost friends. They may even see that as being even worse! Leave them alone. Move to the people close, that will always be there for you. There are people that will be always close.

Back-Up Plans… Not Mine…

People have back-up plans for things that are important.  But I am not writing here about normal kinds of back-ups… it is the people who know me.

When I say I will try to go out, people come up with other plans for when I crash out, and can’t go.  I know they are just being “realistic”.  I get that.  But it shows me that no-one really expects me to be able to  follow thru.  I tend to think everyone just assumes the “back-up” plans are actually the “real” plans.  I may be wrong… but that is how I feel!

It takes away my energy, and desire to even try.  I am a failure before I start the day.  And it hurts me to my core.  This is the attitude that finally drove me away from Facebook.  That is not what friends do.  Friends stand behind you, and encourage you no matter what has happened.

I understand that over the decades, I have earned a bad reputation for not following thru.  I guess I have earned that.  But how much of it has been self-fulfilling?  There have been many times when in the face of doubters, I just give up – why put out all the effort when everyone thinks it’s hopeless anyway?  Why do things with people who expect me to cancel??

Today (New Year’s Eve) I am fighting this very problem.  Now I think I will not go out this evening.  All the energy and desire to go have evaporated.  Why bother trying?

Trying takes a lot of effort.  And I have to plan it very carefully.  The effort last all day, or even several days while I am getting ready.  It takes a major commitment.  And it is no longer important enough for me to even try.

People will end up having more fun if I just stay home.  Then they can do what they want, and leave me to myself.  That is what happens most of the time.  Everyone seems to like it this way best.

2013 – My Year in Review

This year started out with a lot of hope… and it ends that way too! Smile

Last Winter I learned some important things that have greatly helped me to start moving forward again.  And I am now on the right track.  There were some major setbacks, but they will fade into history as the new year gets going.

The holidays have been difficult – they always are.  But I feel even that will be better next year.  Being around groups of people is hard for me even when I know them.

I will be going on my very first overnight trip by myself, in the first half of January – that is going to be a big step!  And things at home have been gradually improving for me.  I am able to do more every week.  There is room for optimism.  I know which way to go now.

Sure… there are obstacles ahead, but I think I can see most of them, and though there will be struggles along the way, I feel better than ever about my chances.  I am having less anxiety about my life, and day to day anxieties are down as well.  I have reason to feel better about just about everything.

Home life is improving, and I am feeling better about my isolation – there is really nothing out there I feel like I am missing.  I have a wonderful home, and a supportive love.  And my kitties really like me!

I am actually looking forward to next year!

Why Have I Got Worse?

Some aspects of my life have got worse over the last 10 years.  But it’s sort of a trade – other things are a lot better.  I’m not sure it’s a fair trade, but it is working for me.

There are things I used to be able to do, that are totally out of reach to me now – like teaching.  I gave teaching my all, and there is nothing left for that kind of activity.   I can not deal with being around groups of people, let alone in front of them talking.

I used to be able to go out more – shopping and such.  Now it’s all very complicated, and requires planning.  Even then, there are limits to what I can do, and where I can go.

But I gained something too – I am now much more comfortable, and “happy” at home.  I am happy with where I am in my life.  My personal live exists now… not so much before therapy and meds.  I am more than comfortable, and enjoy my home, and can socialize from here.

The whole time I was teaching, I did not have a social life… it’s much better now!  I have on-line friends, and get out enough to feel satisfied.  The trips we go on are more fun, and fulfilling.  What I can do, is pleasant, and helps me deal with other issues.

Basically I made a really good trade.  Things are more relaxed, and I have much more peace of mind.  I like it.  I wish I could have found this earlier in my life, but I am not going to look a gift-horse in the mouth!