Taking the Hit -

Sometimes it is very, very hard to take what is called by some, "the high road."  I wonder at how often I am asked to do this.  Why is it that people seem to think it is just fine to cozy on in to my space and tell me all about how incredibly awful someone else's behaviour has been and then ask me to help them help that person by bravely offering myself as the road on which they can walk to higher plane of good behavior?

Hmmmmmmmmm?  Do I just exude a scent or attitude that says come to me and I will try to make the world full of harmony and balance?  Or is it that I appear to be laying in the roadway anyway - so all they want to do is be polite and ask if it is fine with me before they drive the truck along my spine?  I expect is not the latter because as kind as I can be when it comes to fixing things - I am Irish - and I do have a temper.

I am more than willing to admit to my frailties and that is certainly one of them.  But on the positive side, I can get over most things, figure out what will make a situation work out for the good of most if not all with a focus on the long-term benefits and move in that direction (even if it does mean I have to deal with a few treadmarks to get there).  If I can see the benefits to the whole - I can handle what it takes to get there (most of the time). 

But I have to admit, I generally like to know that taking the hit comes along with the value of knowing that the person or persons I am taking the hit for actually see the value in what I am doing. - That it is recognized and that we both see exactly what the situation is.  I am truly not that keen on taking one for the team if the lesson is not being learned.  What is the point in that?  It will probably only lead to someone having to repeat the process in the future, whether that is me or not is irrelevant - the fact is - if people don't understand the damage they are doing - then they just keep doing it.  Of course there is no guaranty that in being shown the damage they are causing that they won't repeat the offense.  But you can at least be assured that if you do come up with a repeat offender - that the ignorance alibi will hold zero water in anyone's eyes - and you can correct the problem a new way.  This time with the hit delivered to the perpetrator  - who as a repeat offender - quite rightly deserves the treadmarks over anyone else on the team.

So today- I pretty much pulled my IRISH out.  I did tell the person who made the request that I bridge the gap in the road that if they gave me to the end of the week it was likely that I would get past the anger and be able to comply with the request. - But as things stood they would be far better off finding someone who would be capable of not rolling to the right and letting the vehicle (person) take the swan dive at just the precise moment when it would do the most damage.  I was apparently not in the mood to be "fixing" it - especially not on a slippery slope that appeared to be headed for the repeat offender's line.

So instead I am taking my frustration's out here - wishing that people would check in with their integrity and their common sense before they leap into action - and before their friends end up being asked to take a hit to help them out of a situation they could easily have avoided. 

The problem is - we all make mistakes - and we all need to know that our friends will be there for us when we do.  So it is hard to hang on to my righteous indignation when in the end, even though this particular action I am being asked to rectify is something I would never do, I know lurking around in my head there is a mistake waiting to happen that someone will view just as darkly as I view this one - and I am going to want them to forgive me my foibles and step up to the plate for me. 

So I guess this means it isn't really going to take me til the end of the week then is it?  And I guess I have my answer about why people seem to end up in my space asking me if I will be there again and again.  Either because I am a total schmuck and I buy it everytime - or because I do believe in my friends and my team - and I believe when I need it - they will be there for me.   I just hope I don't have to ask them anytime soon - afterall - getting all Irish on them isn't all that pretty  - at least not when its used with this definition in mind.