Walking on Eggshells

We all have heard and experience this phrase. Living with someone who makes us feel like we must walk on eggshells around them leaves one quite shell-shocked! I just had to be "pun-ny".

Really though, the true reality is that no one can make you feel anything! If we are feeling like we must walk on eggshells then we are giving away our own choice to decide what reality we want to live in, ours or the other person’s.

I remember when I was in Basic Training in the U.S. Air Force. One day, with all of us new recruits at “attention” on the drill pad, the drill sergeant decided he needed to try to get in my face and scream about something. He didn’t ever seem to really need a reason, which was shown by his invitation to fight behind the barracks with me on the first day there, since I was the tallest and biggest guy. I assured him, he could be the big man!

Since I am 6’7” tall and he was only 5’11” he was on his tip toes trying unsuccessfully to put the bill of his hat in my face as the veins in his dark red face popped out as he screamed. I had done nothing wrong, but he had it to do apparently.

I was already 23 years old and had experienced a lot of rough men on offshore oilrigs and Mississippi riverboats, so I was completely unaffected by his screaming. As I stood there at rigid “attention” all I could think of was Gomer Pyle! Seriously, it was all I could do not to laugh at the situation, and I stood struggling not to grin. This made him even madder. Of course I would never, but I so could see Gomer saying “Well Golly Sarg!”

Do you see that we can choose our response? Do you also see that when we feel like we must walk on eggshells that the problem is in us and not the other person?
It is a cop-out to blame someone else for our response. No one can make you joyful. No one can give you self-esteem. No one can bum you out. No one can make you feel loved and appreciated.

You are not a product of your surroundings. You are a product of your own choices!

David Share