‘Wear Sunscreen’
Baz Lurman’s song version of Mary Schmich’s poem “Wear Sunscreen” has always spoken to me, wisdom from some far off place. Today, one particular line came to the fore-front of my mind:
“Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, And don’t put up with people that are reckless with yours.”
I know I have done so in my past, and those are some of my most shameful moments. My apologies to those I hurt.
But the reason this came to mind today was the second half. Because for too long I have put up with someone that is reckless with not just my heart, but the feelings of almost everyone around her. She is the adult version of the playground bully. And just about everyone at work puts up with it. Some of them laugh along, some turn a blind eye, and some just shrink away from her viper’s tongue. I’ve done all three.
But today, I just couldn’t take it. I made a bad joke about a cookie that looked like a cactus, nothing obscene just dumb. She tore into me about being ingrateful and down on everyone. Ironic, coming from her. And that’s what I said, as I walked off, that really it was her negative attitude and bile that tainted my not-funny, but not ingrateful joke.
Yea, I walked off. I’d love to tell you that I stood toe-to-toe with her and made her see my point. But let’s be real. I cannot change her. But I wasn’t going to put up with her being reckless with my heart. And so I at least accomplished one other item from the ‘Wear Sunscreen’ poem:
“Do one thing every day that scares you.”