My plate is threatening to overflow again. When I announced at the dinner table the other night that I was going to pitch activities which were solely a source of stress and where my only contribution seemed to be my existence, Crash had some ways to say "no" - pulled from the posters on the walls of his health classroom. So when next I'm asked to....serve on a committee...write a proposal for....evaluate a new....I could say:
"I'd rather just be friends."
"Let's just go see a movie instead!"
My favorites are the non-sequitur: "No thanks, I have asthma." and the cheeky "I'm not that kind of girl." suggested by my brother, The Wookie. Hopefully no one can read my thought bubbles!
If it works for sex, drug and cigarettes -- will it work for my to do list?? I'll keep you posted!
There is a list here.
Just don't say no to Scrabble. :)
ReplyDeleteGo you! It is one of the hardest forms of asceticism, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteyou bet! There is a beautiful reflection on this in Barbara Brown Taylor's book An Altar in the World! "The practice of saying no"...
ReplyDeleteOK, so in mid-advent we slow down and have dinner together, deal...
ReplyDeleteIt's a deal, Wayne...
ReplyDelete"and the cheeky "I'm not that kind of girl." suggested by my brother, The Wookie." YES!
ReplyDeleteUnrelated (or perhaps related? Say "yes" to color and to life?):
I just heard of this painter and this painting immediately brought you to mind:
http://www.wholeo.net/Trips/Travel/NY/images/ChagalLt.jpg
Do you like these colors?
ROFL! I love the ways to say no. And we all need to do more of saying no to what's really NOT important.
ReplyDeleteBut right now I think I'm going to say YES to a nap :)