Center of Attention

Not long ago one of my "polarized" friends was attempting to engage me in a "conversation" which felt more like a debate, but was actually a lecture. Perhaps it was more an attempt to change my mind, educate me to their way of thinking or save me from my sad beliefs.

I announced I wasn't interested in a conversation that had no resolve. I said I liked to live in the middle. The center of things. I don't want to be pulled too far to either side. I could tell that was a deflating moment, but to their credit, we moved on to far more pleasant and less divisive dinner conversation.

Later that evening, the wife of the couple posed a question. "You say you want to live in the center, but you have to be the Center of Attention! How does that work?"

I was a bit taken aback. I will readily admit that when I am on, I am on, but I don't knowingly seek the spotlight. Since I attempt to be a pleasant hostess, I shrugged and said, "Well, they are both in the center. I guess that's why."

I like the center. It's calm there. It's the eye of the storm if you look at a hurricane. I find it is better to be centered than pulled apart by the raging winds - most of which are coming out of other people's mouths.

It is not that I don't have strong opinions or am not passionate about certain things. I am, but I am also aware that those are my views and values. Do I share them with people? Not as much as once did, especially not in the times in which we currently live. It feels like constant screeching, wailing and anger. I've had enough of that for the time being and maybe for the rest of my life. I do, from time to time, wade into a debate. The pull of my perception of their stupidity, ignorance or arrogance gets the better of me. The sound bite aspect of social media will win, briefly and I will comment. Often I type my point of view. Read it. Enjoy my pithiness and then I will delete it because in the end, I don't want to hear their response. It will just cause me to shake my head a bit more. And everyone is entitled to their point of view or opinion.

The world needs the far extremes. All things have a negative and positive aspect to them. It is what keeps us in balance. So, I believe that I am providing a service to the universe by living in the center. I am helping to weigh it down as the rest of the world spins wildly at the edges