Impacting Others, Happy or Brilliant, and Huggers

Gregory Stock’s The Book of Questions prompt — Do you feel you have much impact on the lives of people you come in contact with? Can you think of someone who, over a short period of time, significantly influenced your life?

Yes. For some people I have spent time with over the years, I have heard that I do impact their lives. Long after I said something or did something to make a difference for someone in their life, I hear from them that when I said ... it helped and made a difference in their life.

Sometimes the words don't sound familiar, and that is okay, as I get credit for those words or for helping to make a difference. Most of that comes from sponsoring others. My children give me cards that express their appreciation of the impact I have had on their lives.

Then my husband will quote me or say, "When you said ... that did help." Laughing with my husband can help me in no time at all, as laughter does bring me up when I am starting to feel down.

Sponsors have made a huge difference in my life. I was able to address perfectionism, jealousy, sarcasm, love, and getting the help I needed to practice better self-care and to mature out of my teens.

In addition, I learned a lot about the culture by being socialized by my mother and being taught some things by my sister. The stories they told were invaluable. The love they shared was exactly what I needed as a young adult in recovery and then as an older adult woman.

Gregory Stock’s The Book of Questions prompt — Would you rather be happy, yet slow witted and unimaginative or uphappy yet bright and creative? For example, would you rather live the life of a brilliant, yet tortured artist such as Vincent van Gogh, or that of a happy but carefree soul who is a bit simple-minded?

When I had cancer, I had a respiratory code, and between that, chemotherapy, and menopause (or simply getting old), my brain hasn't been the same. I am happy being me, slow-witted and unimaginative and all. The good news is, I don't know what is missing until someone brings a memory up, and I have no recollection at all.

I have no interest in becoming tortured by my brilliance.

Gregory Stock’s The Book of Questions prompt — When you are with your friends do your interactions include much touching - for example, hugging, kissing, roughhousing or rubbing backs? Would you like to have more of this?

Hugs are a part, although the pandemic slowed touch down somewhat. Even now. I continue to see some greetings or goodbyes with fist bumps or by touching elbows. I prefer full-on hugs for a good half a minute to even a minute. Both coming and going.

I have a few friends who are very touchy, meaning always touching my arm or hand, or back. I am okay with that. I get adequate touch.

In recovery, I put myself into hug therapy forty years ago, as I wasn't comfortable with hugs. I became a hugger thanks to hug therapy. That has spread throughout my family and friends. Some will ask for a hug, and others just expect a hug. The pandemic was hard on the huggers!