Mortified is the only word to describe looking back at yourself after doing something so humiliating and out of character, that you can’t believe it was actually you that did it. Watching the news one morning I saw the video of the lady texting while walking in a mall and falling into the fountain. Then they interviewed the woman and my heart went out to her anguish as she described her humiliation at having the video all over TV and YouTube. She fervently warned of the danger of what she did, but having it on national tv mortified her. She wakes up crying and has been crying for days. Marysol on the Early Show, just after doing the story, said “You just have to wake up and laugh it off like those of us in tv have learned to do or we’d never be able to get out of bed in the morning.”
I’m sure we’ve all been mortified at some point in our life. My heart when out to her when memories of my own trip down mortification lane came rushing back. I had just had a particularly serious time in my life and was going to a party. I had decided that I needed to lighten up and went to the party intending to just chill and have fun. Well, some unsuspecting soul introduced me to jagar shots. Jagar has, in our house, has had a moratorium put on it, citing the fact it changes your personality. I agreed with this wholeheartedly, living vicariously through the experience of others, never having tried it myself. Let’s suffice to say my experience involved waking up in a dark room with no door. The next day, as my husband apprised me of the post-jagar events, I was mortified. As I tried thinking back on the events of the evening, it was like looking at someone I didn’t recognize. I, too, like the woman in the video, cried for days after being humiliated in front of only a small group of people, let alone on national tv. For days I woke up with the memory pressing on my chest, just like she did. I’m sure that lady would agree – if we could be granted one “do over” in our lives, this would be it for both of us.
Laughing it off is not easy, because for both the lady and I, it was no laughing matter. What we both did was dangerous. She said she could’ve just as easily been walking in front of a bus, and as for me, being out if control of your own personality is never a safe thing.
But as my mom used to say, such is life. We walk through it, navigating the land mines as best we can, but we inevitably step on one. One of my personal goals for 2011 is to be able to “swallow the explosion and digest it”. Swallowing the explosion makes me think of the visitors on V when their skin peels back and their jaws unhinge to swallow a huge thing like snakes do. Digesting the explosion, to me, means not taking myself too seriously, but not laughing it off, either. Everything in life must be digested with balance, even our most mortifying moments.
This last week in January is a good time to gather a few things that will promote the health of my mind, body and spirit during 2011 and in addition to keeping me busy, will allow me to grow and learn and change during this new year.
And so, as another day goes by, resolution #1 is formed, and…I have written.
I’m sure we’ve all been mortified at some point in our life. My heart when out to her when memories of my own trip down mortification lane came rushing back. I had just had a particularly serious time in my life and was going to a party. I had decided that I needed to lighten up and went to the party intending to just chill and have fun. Well, some unsuspecting soul introduced me to jagar shots. Jagar has, in our house, has had a moratorium put on it, citing the fact it changes your personality. I agreed with this wholeheartedly, living vicariously through the experience of others, never having tried it myself. Let’s suffice to say my experience involved waking up in a dark room with no door. The next day, as my husband apprised me of the post-jagar events, I was mortified. As I tried thinking back on the events of the evening, it was like looking at someone I didn’t recognize. I, too, like the woman in the video, cried for days after being humiliated in front of only a small group of people, let alone on national tv. For days I woke up with the memory pressing on my chest, just like she did. I’m sure that lady would agree – if we could be granted one “do over” in our lives, this would be it for both of us.
saw the video of the lady texting while walking in a mall and falling into the fountain. Then they interviewed the woman and my heart went out to her anguish as she described her humiliation at having the video all over TV and YouTube. She fervently warned of the danger of what she did, but having it on national tv mortified her. She wakes up crying and has been crying for days. Marysol on the Early Show, just after doing the story, said “You just have to wake up and laugh it off like those of us in tv have learned to do or we’d never be able to get out of bed in the morning.”