What’s with the hat?
I was pretending it’s New Year’s.
Why?
Because I made a resolution.
What resolution?
Well, since you convinced me
I’m a control addict, I decided
to stop controlling.
Stop controlling what?
Everything.
Oh. How did that work out?
It didn’t.
I couldn’t go two minutes
without wanting to control
something.
Of course you couldn’t. We
can’t live without control.
But I don’t want to be addicted.
Okay, let’s be clear. Control is
not an inherently bad thing.
It isn’t?
Of course not. Sometimes
it’s essential.
When I drive my car I don’t
want to give up control.
If my kid gets sick I’m not
going to just surrender
and hope for the best.
Control only becomes a
problem when we try to use it
on stuff we can’t or shouldn’t
control.
Like other people.
Yes, that, and
overcontrolling feelings and
becoming constipated…
or trying to control the future
by projecting into it.
Which is what I did with my
resolution.
Exactly. The empty future makes
us anxious, so we fill it up with
resolutions and goals and
planning and promises.
Doesn’t work, right?
Usually not. So what do I
do now?
Learn your lesson. That’s
what relapses are for, to
teach you something.
What did you learn?
That I can’t avoid relapses.
Good. that’s an important one.
And?
That relapses are lessons, so
I shouldn’t beat myself up
over them.
Good. And one more thing.
This is important too.
What?
Lose the damn hat.
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