This is my new mantra.
There's a head chief in my head.* A Head Honcho Who Wears the Waterproof Poncho. Big Chief in Charge of Charring. Master of all Burning Ceremonies. This Firefighter thinks that things are always going wrong, finding fires where there are none, or trying to put out someone else's fires. Enough.
I know the economy is in a bad way, Inner Firefighter, but I have to give you your pink slip. We could find another way for you to relate to me, if you want to stick around. Maybe you could practice being a Fire Tender, or a Second in Command Charcoal Lighter? Something not quite so easily triggered, so easily sent into haywire. No more overreacting. Well, of course we will still overreact, but we can be a little less heated about it, ok? Cut down on the middle of the night Alarm Bell panic attacks.
We might need Firewalls for boundaries. Watch out more closely for Backdraft and notice when our Courage is taking us too close to Danger, or when our Courage is masking Danger. Watch out for when there's No Danger At All, just us trying to be a hero. No need to be a hero.
Job suggestions welcome.
*with thanks to Rita Carter's Multiplicity, Matt Ruff's Set This House in Order, and Gabi.
Thanks for the reminder. I should work on retiring some of my characters too. Particularly the boycotter and the sheriff (the latter being the equivalent of your firefighter), but the superhero should at least go on a long vacation too. Going to look into Multiplicity. Thanks for that too. And happy holidays!
ReplyDeleteDear Inner Firefighter: Congratulations on your retirement! I hear that encore careers are the most fulfilling, anyway -- you get to pursue what your soul has been calling instead of what you think you are supposed to be doing. Perhaps first a long winter in a warm locale to re-set is in order. Love, Shawnee
ReplyDeleteGabi - same to you, and thanks for the Ruff start up to begin with!
ReplyDeleteShawnee - Lovely.