Out on a limb

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

You know those quotations people put at the ends of their emails? Kind of as part of their signature block?

Like they are supposed to inspire you somehow? Or make you think?

Generally speaking, I don’t much care for them. I mean, sure, the first time you read a quotation, it might be interesting. But then when you start seeing that same quote forty million times a day, it – uh – starts to lose something.

A lot.

Fast.

If people could arrange it so the quotations changed each time they sent out an email, now, that might be something.

But then, they would have to have like forty billion quotations!

Well… I saw the above quotation the other day.

Somewhere. In one of the millions of emails I receive.

And for some reason, it struck me.

Boom.

Right there between the eyes.

Do you know who said it? Or wrote it? Originally. Not the email. The quotation.

Don’t think too hard. Keeping things simple often does you right.

Dr. Seuss.

Yep. Theodore S. Geisel. Dr. Seuss. Of Hop on Pop and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish fame. That Dr. Seuss. Am not sure where this particular quote appears, but I would be willing to bet it was in Oh, the Places You’ll Go! You know, that book people give to young people who are graduating from high school or college, even though Dr. Seuss books are meant for small children.

The quotation sounds so simple, so straightforward, so commonsensical.

"Be who you are and say what you feel…”

OK. Yes. That sounds simple enough.

“…because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

It’s quite disarming in its simplicity, its seeming charm, isn’t it?

I find it quite profound myself.

I probably worry too much about those people who mind (and don’t matter!) and take far too much for granted those people who matter (and don’t mind).

I would do well then -- wouldn’t I? – to follow Dr. Seuss’s advice more closely.

I am not by nature a risk taker.

At least not when it comes to myself. If I see injustice being done to others, generally speaking, I will step forward and say something or do something on their behalf.

But on my own behalf…?

In my own interest…?

Hmmmm. Not likely. Not very often.

It is funny. I think of myself as very quiet, very introverted, very reserved. I do not feel “the need for speed.” I love challenges, but they don’t need to be risky, life-endangering, sportsy, or inconsequential. I don’t need the feeling just to have the feeling.

I mentioned this once at work, and two of my co-workers whirled around.

“What?!? I would have imagined you loved risky adventures!” they each said.

“Why on earth would you ever think that?” I asked, incredulous.

“Because you were in the Army!” said one.

“Yeah. Because you climbed mountains and drove tanks and flew airplanes and …”

“Shot big guns and crossed glaciers and jumped out of airplanes [I did not really jump out of airplanes]!” said the other.

“Because you were always doing dangerous things!!!” They both said in unison, nodding their heads vigorously.

A light bulb went on in my head.

“Oh. Well. Yes,” I said, “but I didn’t do any of those things because I wanted to. Just for the fun of it. I only did them because I was told to do them!”

They both stared at me.

“I never would have gone out and done them on my own,” I explained further.

The continued staring at me.

“Hello! Those things are… you know… dangerous!”

They both laughed.

It is true, though. I do not seek out danger for the sake of danger. I will do dangerous things, if they need to be done. But I am not going to be one of those people who bungee jumps off the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia once a year just because I can.

In fact, I can’t imagine myself ever bungee jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge period. No matter what.

When it comes to interacting with others, my close friends tell me that I need to… “go out on a limb” more.

Take risks.

Put myself on the line.

Sure. They can say that. They don’t have to “go out on a limb.”

I am not good at going out on a limb.

Going out on a limb is not going to come to anything good. I know this ahead of time.

In fact, I am positive it will only cause embarrassment.

For myself, mostly.

Once in a while, it is true,

I will feel it right to take that extra step, venture out onto that limb, speak up, express myself…

BUT…

generally speaking, it is a mistake, not right, ill-timed, inappropriate.

And I am left feeling foolish.

The fool.

Stranded out there on the middle of that bare limb.

OK. Fine.

So, I guess that is when I really need to remind myself: “those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

Or, more in line with my own style: “From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!"

And I am one of them.