Genies and Tourniquets
Daily Meditation #244–10/24/2022
When you have a wish, a thought, or a need, what do you do?
You rub the magic lamp and out pops a genie to grant the wish on your beck and call — at your command.
When you are badly hurt and bleeding, what do you do?
You quickly wrap a tourniquet near the wound to stymie the bleeding.
Why do so many of us treat our “friends” and family like genies and tourniquets, only calling on them when we need them or are hurting?
Relationships are much like muscles — they need attention and care frequently so as to not lose their virility!
While you needn’t schedule a coffee visit with your mom, dad, siblings or friends every single week, you should be in steady contact with them.
“Hey! In church we read this chapter — how would you interpret this?”
“I think I saw you and the wife driving from the store yesterday. Was it you guys? How was work this week — I know you mentioned XYZ.”
“I saw this article last night and it reminded me of that time Mr. Mattson showed us a similar thing in Biology! Do you remember?”
Don’t treat those who are important to you like tourniquets or genies. They are certainly not there to be a shoulder-at-summons for you to cry on. Instead, they are there because they care.
You must too.
Remember them and be generous with your time and attention.
Follow for daily philosophical meditations.
These are distillations from my coming book “YouDaimonia: the Ancient Philosophy of Human Flourishing.”
