I am not fearless. There are so many things, situations, creatures and people capable of putting me right into a state where I quiver all over like Billie Burke‘s ‘Glinda‘ vibrato that you’d be harder pressed perhaps to find anything that doesn’t scare me. I may possibly be the biggest nervous Nelly alive.
But there are few fears that compare, in my catalog of terrors and trembling, with unwanted attention from anybody trying to sell me anything. Even, sometimes, things I might actually want. I dread confrontation of any kind, and will gladly spend the afternoon crouching uncomfortably behind a large spittoon if it means I can evade the silky admonitions of a time-share agent. I could easily be persuaded to skip bail and dodge out of the country incognito if I think I’m being pursued by an eager pamphleteer or community activist, no matter how praiseworthy I think her cause.
My ideal world is one in which, when together, we all cheerfully agree 100% on every concept and construct governing the universe and our little souls within it, and it doesn’t matter a tenth of an iota that in our hearts we know that to be a false front. We can just make nice for the nonce, skip around giving each other sweet-natured high fives, sing charming campfire songs until we begin to feel faint or peckish, and then meander off, comfortably believing whatever it is each of us needs to believe when we get back to our own happy huts. Okay, that modus operandi may be a bit of a push, and I really don’t want to force the idea on you, since that would belie my whole premise. (AWKward!) But still. Can’t we all back off on the urgency of our personal agenda sales pitches just a little?
Know Your Audience–and Your Auditorium
When proselytizing,
You may find it surprising
That all are not moved
To be so improved
As you might hope,
Be you the Pope
Or Guru wise,
So proselytize,
Whether thinly or thickly,
With an eye on the door for exiting quickly.
Art-Colored Glasses 
The worst are those damned poets who try to get their opinion across, now no one would ever accuse me of that! 😉
Wow, I almost got a concussion when I fell off my chair laughing, Dennis! 😉 I’m glad to be in such good company, head-smacking or no!
I like your Utopian ideal. I enjoyed the poem, I laughed out loud when I read it.
Nothing could please me more!
Lovely, Kathryn. Firmly held convictions should be held, never pushed. I like the door! 🙂
It’s composited from a shot of a nice old church door, of course.
That painting is stunningly beautiful! Wow! The last illustration doesn’t show for me. Maybe it’s my old browser. You can’t teach an old browser new tricks. Loved the poem, too. I would add a word of caution – since truth is exclusive so that all else is false, it behooves us all, at some point in our lives to consider carefully whether we’re right or not, whether someone is approaching us for the first time with the truth.
I can’t take total credit for the picture, really–it’s a macro photo I messed around with in Photoshop, not handmade. The second one not coming through is probably my fault, too large a file perhaps for your browser. It’s also a digitally doctored photographic picture, of an old [church] door. Sorry it won’t come through for you! But I’m glad you liked the first.
And yes, it’s a very good idea to take everything with a grain of salt until one’s fully investigated and pondered enough!
Very nice poem Kathryn, I had to read it twice (learned a very nice looking word in the process) and really had to laugh.
I love this church door 🙂
Thank you so much, Anyes! I love it when friends laugh along with my silliness!
You have such a way with words darling girl, If I followed you about in animation world you would have an endless bubble of awesome words bobbing above your head at all times! c
Aha! So that explains my being a bubble-head! I am highly honored that a fabulous wordsmith like you likes my ways too. xoxoxo!
Your ideal would be quite nice. Till then, I will head back to my happy hut and hide from the time-share agent. Love this!
Just so long as no time-share agents come after our happy huts!!
Now, you are the third person I have heard that term ‘proselytizing’ from this week and it is not a word one hears often. Penn Gillette happened to be the first ‘sighting’ of the word in a video that a good friend posted – the question he asked is, “How much do you have to hate someone NOT to proselytize to him or her?” Interesting.
Second, BBC America during a late night drive while listening to the local NPR. In this, the British reporter said he did not want to “proselytize about the state of religion in Europe.”
And you, dear friend, proselytize about that crummy salesman (of every sort) not proselytizing.
If “proselytize” could be used in the lottery, I might be a big winner this week!
Quick! Run and get a lottery ticket this minute!
You are amazing dear Kathryn, made me laugh too your poetical touches… And fascinated me this door, this is so beautiful. Thank you, with my love, nia
The door is one of the first digital composite compositions I tried–only about three parts (building/door + pansies for the “stained glass” + the tinted plants by the porch) but it took me ages to do! Fortunately I’m a *little* faster now with Photoshop, but I still use it mostly when I have lots of time to play! Thank you for your always kind support, dear Nia!
Nice!!!
Thank you very much!