Joke Three: Two Ties for Christmas.

     Since its holiday time, many of us struggle with challenging families. Here's a story that, perhaps, rings true for many of us with one family member or another.

Joke Three: Two Ties for Christmas

    A mother gave her son two ties for Christmas. He opened his gift on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Morning he came downstairs to breakfast proudly wearing one of the ties.

   "Whatsamatter,"
    his mother admonished him, "You didn't like the other tie?"

   I know. Aren't these the most confounding people? The ones where if you do it this way, it's wrong. And if you do it that way, it's also wrong. That's because it isn't really about the way we did this or that. It's about them. Some people are just plain unhappy and they project that unhappiness on those around them, instead of looking at themselves.

   But, as J.P. Morgan once said, "A man always has two reasons for doing anything: a very good reason and the real reason." It's difficult to look within, but that's almost always where the dissatisfaction lies--with life, other people and one's life situation in general. The curmugeony (is that a word?) nature of impossible-to-please people comes not from this or that on the outside. As the Great Bard (Shakespeare) has said: "The fault....lies not within our stars...but within our selves."

   Trying to please people never really works as a life strategy. We have to ask ourselves, "If I have to please my friends (read: family, partner) to have them accept me,  how different is that from buying their affection?" Actually, when we let go of people-pleasing and are authentic with others; (i.e. when we please ourselves) we tend to win others' respect. And, then, we know that the friendships that remain don't come with a cover-charge.

   Next time: Joke Four: "Keep Your F***ing Jack!" (Uh-oh, I may have ruined the punchline!)