LIFE LESSONS 2

My boss is a great boss. Having worked together for more than 10 years has made us quite comfortable and familiar with each other's capabilities and personalities. And specially quirks. If he asks how I am today and if I automatically respond that I am ok (even if I am not actually ok), he could readily sense the truer state of things. He is not always nice though. He will be the first to admit to being "bitchy" at times but will also be quick to ask for an apology if he senses that he has offended my sensibilities.

We sometimes engage in light banter as well as in serious talks, specially during tense times when I find myself in the middle of a sticky situation brought about by clashing egos and personalities with co-workers.

The life lesson I learn from him during these times would be akin to Richard Carlson's "Don't sweat the small stuff." In his own paraphrase, he will urge me to let matters or issues or bad words or actions slide, specially if it came from a person I don't have to care about. He adds that that particular offending and offensive person may be gone tomorrow, for all I know. So why be too bothered?

One must be bothered or affected somehow. It is human to be so. It helps you avoid being callous. To flex your sensitivity muscles. But the life lesson here is that while it may be human and normal to be affected to a certain degree, to be consumed and obssessed is no longer normal even if it is still human. So cry just a little and not a river.

And forgive slights but selectively forget. One always needs to learn the lesson.