the kindness of strangers

This morning I had a revelation. Those crazy celebs and sportspeople who talk about themselves in the 3rd person might actually be on to something. You know the sort of thing:

What I have to think of is what's best for Lorenzo. And I've been thinking that what would be best for Lorenzo would also be best for Lorenzo's family. Lorenzo needs to look out for Lorenzo's future...

But - and here was the flash of insight I had at the bus stop at 8 am - what if we actually are strangers in the body of another person? That we are taking a ride in the person we currently think of as 'me', when actually it isn't who we are, merely a flesh and blood ride through someone's life. The particular genes and circumstance of a certain time and space.

It can be seen as just a technique, I guess. When you start thinking about yourself and your actions in the 3rd person (quietly in your own head of course!) you become removed from what's happening. You can look at events - however good or bad - through the same lens as you would when wanting to help a friend. It de-personalises the actions and feelings and can lead to insight and understanding. The way you would listen and try to help a friend becomes the way you deal with your own problems.

So the "I" is this observer, not the name. The name has been born into a certain family at a certain time in space. It is a blip. We take a ride in that life and we can look and try the best we can to help this friend of ours because we can see and understand where they are coming from. Mostly they are just trying to unknot the connections of love.

Weewilkie is thinking that he has puzzled people and made them think he is a bit odd. This is quite typical of him. He's always too preoccupied about other people's opinions of him. He's learning. I help him the best I can, because I totally see where he's coming from.