mulberryshoots

Do you know anyone who always has to have the last word? Who doesn’t, right? It could be a friend, a sibling or a parent, to start with our innermost circles. I have one in particular who never fails to make sure that I know she’s done everything I ever thought of doing. And on top of that, is planning to do things I would never think of doing. For a long time, I was baffled by this pattern because our lives have been and are so different from each other. Plus, we’ve not really been close either. So, why the competition?

Synonyms for competition are “rivalry” or “contest.” There’s sibling rivalry but that’s usually for favoritism from a parent or parents. And if the parents were clear about whom they favored and have passed away, who cares anymore? As far as a contest goes, there’s no prize for the winner and no judges either. Makes the whole aspect of competition seem trite and fruitless doesn’t it? Be that as it may, it is vexing when one of these messages floats in through the transom and is not only annoying but stirs up competition in yourself as a result!

I guess the best thing to do about it is to ignore it rather than try to understand it. In other words, it’s all about THEM, and not really about YOU, AND not even about THEM AND YOU. Would that I could be so cerebral and intelligent about it! What it makes me want to do after gnashing my teeth, is to forswear communicating with this person ever again. I think I’ve tried that at least twenty times too.

So, how about competing back?  That puts us on a road to infamy for sure. Or turning the other cheek? Been there, done that. Rationalize it somehow as a sign of THEIR insecurity? You think?!? There’s no good way to deal with this kind of power slice-and-dice, it seems to me. Maybe writing a post about the futility of it all might help. At least I hope so.

Let me know if it’s ever happened to you!