Yesterday afternoon I thought some of us might get a kick out of this story. My girlfriend was selling shoes at the Greek Festival this weekend and I offered to help her man the booth.She has an amazing array of shoes, the kind you can't help but ooh and ahh over. Nothing practical here - it's all glitter and glam. From flats to pumps to clogs to wedges to boots and sandals - she has it all. Some were sparkly, some had lacy straps, some were made of shiny satin, some had such pointy heels they were an engineering wonder - and honestly, you can't help but touch them. They're just fun!
She had one particularly appealing pair of shoes with fur trim that made everyone smile when they saw them. Most passersby would stop, look, laugh and then actually pet them. (Especially the men - go figure!)
I thought it was cute and a good draw; my girlfriend was annoyed that people were handling her merchandise.
So she made up a "PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH!" sign and just as she placed it next to the irrestistible fur-trimmed shoe, two women approached with a yellow lab by their side.
You know me, as soon as a dog is on the scene, I forget everything else.
But pretty soon I was smiling to realize the law of attraction was proving itself in quick action once again. This was a seeing-eye dog for one of the ladies, whose owner promptly began shopping by handling every shoe on display while her friend described the colors to her.
I had to laugh that as soon my girlfriend took action to stop people from touching her merchandise (resistance), she attracted a situation that delivered more of what she didn't want.
She wasn't really in a mood for an LOA lesson, I thought, so I was proud to not say anything. Well, to her anyway. I knew the rest of us would get a kick out of it!
And of course, I realize she's mirroring exactly what many of us do every day without realizing it. She knows how this stuff works - so do we. Yet how often do we unconsciously slip into "resist" mode?
Not that I would encourage us to look for resistance, since we get what we look for. But maybe a good focus is on what we're allowing, and where we have more opportunities to relax and flow, and on a greater level.
With that said I'm going to go "flow" an article for my editor. Happy day, everyone!
When you think of it the word don't is the biggest magnet going. I am thinking more and more that it should be avoided at all costs. I wonder what would have happened if your friend had said "Please admire the shoes without touching."
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, something that funky ,tactile and sparkly how could anyone not want to touch them. Imagine if it was a table of oxford walking shoes, no one would "touch" them with a ten foot pole.
Love Leslie
Yes, and it's there a LOT, isn't it? I'm surprised how often I hear myself using that word.
ReplyDeleteThat would be a fun experiment - an entire day with conversations exclusive of "don't," "not" and "no." Ha ha! I might try that tomorrow and see how it goes ..
This could be why irony is one of the primary laws of the universe...
ReplyDeleteYou make me laugh, John!! Nice to hear from you again.
ReplyDeleteGot any ironic stories of your own lately? That you care to share?
Where to begin? I have the distinct feeling that my life is a sit-com in some higher dimension. Good thing I consider irony to be among the highest forms of comedy - or maybe that's why I do? The daily news provides a fair bit of hilarity as a result, actually, though it makes people blink at me and ask, "You're laughing at what, exactly?" The universe surely has a sense of humor. The evidence is everywhere.
ReplyDeleteOr as Shakespeare said, via Puck, "Lord, what fools these mortals be." Why yes, I'm quite fond of that one.
Consider politics:
Global warming protests have problems with freezing weather (this happens all the freaking time).
Government and unions' goals are becoming increasingly convoluted.
Actually, politics seems to be defined by irony, especially the Law of Unintended Consequences, so I'll let you browse the papers for examples of human silliness in action.
Or consumer issues:
Nimbus 2000 broomsticks pulled from shelves because of excessive adult enjoyment...
Southwest Airlines has some serious irony going on just now.
Well, that's a bare sampling of the first things that drifted by. Then there are the endless little ironies that comprise my day, whether affecting myself or someone else in the sitcom. Why does it strike me so funny? Maybe it's like Garfield (the cat, not the president) once said: I used to be annoyed; now I'm amused.
It's all in how you see it, I guess.
Okay John, the freezing weather for global warming protests made me laugh out loud! Thanks for the entertainment tonight! I'm off to follow a couple of these links you provided ...
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, John!!