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That’s one of my favorite stories by shel Silverstein. Just a solid reminder you need to be happy with yourself. Not look for something outside of yourself to b

by jraby3 5y ago

That’s one of my favorite stories by shel Silverstein. Just a solid reminder you need to be happy with yourself. Not look for something outside of yourself to bring you happiness or complete you. The article brought back some good memories of camping with friends - one of them brought this book and read it to us. We were all in our late 20s, no kids around. Kate I miss your awesome vibe.

bluGill 5y ago
I found it depressing actually. Social connections are a large part of life. So as an introvert who has a hard time finding those connections being told I should be happy is actually wrong: sure I can be okay, but social connections are something missing. Together people really are larger than the sum of their parts.
- stanrivers 5y ago
  I don’t think it is telling you to be happy not making connections if you want to make connections with people. It is saying - don’t wait on others to come and change or complete you; you have to make the changes yourself first. In your situation; if you truly believe you need to stretch your skillset to be more extroverted at times, that is something you need to take personal responsibility for. You need to add to your capabilities through effort. So I don’t think it’s really saying you don’t need others ever; it’s saying don’t look to others to “fix” you; if you need to be less introverted at times, that’s something you can work to control.
- jraby3 5y ago
  I’m also an introvert but find that having relatively few friends but very strong relationships with those friends gives my life added meaning. But the message for me is that we should work on ourselves first to be happy with who we are.
stanrivers 5y ago
Love this - often times if I get off work later than normal and get home after dark, I’ll walk around the neighborhood - live in a small town so you can see the stars and smell the trees; I almost always feel like a little kid again - like that feeling of being alive and outside is more true than all the work you do typing at a computer all day. Your story reminded me of that feeling - so cheers!
MarkLowenstein 5y ago
The Missing Piece is such a great metaphor for the dynamics of relationships that it continues to predict reality beyond even what Silverstein imagined. You've got the wedge and incomplete circle, that when fitting together just right, roll along perfectly. That becomes unstable once one piece changes. Then you've got the end-state: two self-sufficient circles which roll in parallel, just because they choose to. The first two stay together via a strong need, like a dipole-dipole bond between molecules of a solid. The second stay together with a much weaker, Van der Waals force, and are easily separated. It very aptly predicts the rise in divorces in the West once women had more opportunities to be self-sufficient. I won't address if that's good or bad; I just want to compliment Silverstein on a very successful metaphor.

by jraby3 5y ago

bluGill 5y ago

I found it depressing actually. Social connections are a large part of life. So as an introvert who has a hard time finding those connections being told I should be happy is actually wrong: sure I can be okay, but social connections are something missing. Together people really are larger than the sum of their parts.

stanrivers 5y ago
I don’t think it is telling you to be happy not making connections if you want to make connections with people. It is saying - don’t wait on others to come and change or complete you; you have to make the changes yourself first. In your situation; if you truly believe you need to stretch your skillset to be more extroverted at times, that is something you need to take personal responsibility for. You need to add to your capabilities through effort. So I don’t think it’s really saying you don’t need others ever; it’s saying don’t look to others to “fix” you; if you need to be less introverted at times, that’s something you can work to control.
jraby3 5y ago
I’m also an introvert but find that having relatively few friends but very strong relationships with those friends gives my life added meaning. But the message for me is that we should work on ourselves first to be happy with who we are.

stanrivers 5y ago

Love this - often times if I get off work later than normal and get home after dark, I’ll walk around the neighborhood - live in a small town so you can see the stars and smell the trees; I almost always feel like a little kid again - like that feeling of being alive and outside is more true than all the work you do typing at a computer all day. Your story reminded me of that feeling - so cheers!

MarkLowenstein 5y ago

The Missing Piece is such a great metaphor for the dynamics of relationships that it continues to predict reality beyond even what Silverstein imagined. You've got the wedge and incomplete circle, that when fitting together just right, roll along perfectly. That becomes unstable once one piece changes. Then you've got the end-state: two self-sufficient circles which roll in parallel, just because they choose to. The first two stay together via a strong need, like a dipole-dipole bond between molecules of a solid. The second stay together with a much weaker, Van der Waals force, and are easily separated. It very aptly predicts the rise in divorces in the West once women had more opportunities to be self-sufficient. I won't address if that's good or bad; I just want to compliment Silverstein on a very successful metaphor.