CONVERSATION WITH…An Elderly Shark…Reflecting on the shark inside her

/ overthehillontheyellowbrickroad

On a hot day Over the Hill on the Yellow Brick Road, I decided to go for a swim in the ocean.  Suddenly, a shark swam over!   Aaaah!!!!!

shark

Shark! Don’t eat me!  I’m older!  But I’m too young to die!

SHARK:  Calm down. I have no intention of eating you.

I thought sharks ate people.

SHARK: If you confuse us, we’ll take a nibble.  Otherwise, we prefer other delicacies.  Just don’t confuse me.

 I won’t confuse you.

SHARK: But I should tell you, I do have one other eating related issue. Many years ago, I ate another shark.  I mean, some sharks do eat other sharks, but that doesn’t make it right.  I feel bad knowing I have a shark inside me.  I still have nightmares about it.

If it makes you feel better, I have a shark inside me, too.

SHARK:  Should I be swimming away from you?

No. Not that kind of shark.  It’s a metaphor for a really aggressive side of myself. But it’s strange.  I’ve noticed as I grow older, I don’t feel the shark inside me as much as I used to.  I don’t know what’s happening to me.  Am I settling for less?  Am I depressed?

SHARK:  I’m not sure I understand what you mean.

Well, when I was younger, if there was a job opportunity I was passionate about, or I had a creative goal that meant the world to me, I felt a “shark” inside me that drove me toward what I wanted with incredible force. 

SHARK: Ooooh.

And when that “shark” inside me took over, I didn’t hurt anyone physically, but I might have hurt others emotionally along the way without realizing it.  I was so focused on what I was going for, I’m not sure I was completely aware of my behavior.

SHARK: Ugh. What about now?

Now I feel more like a tuna fish. When I’m passionate about something I want to do, I meander steadily toward it, but I look from side to side and take in what’s around me.  If something doesn’t feel quite right or off balance, I stop, think about it, and make changes till I’m in sync with the universe.

SHARK:  If you don’t mind that I’m adding my two cents, it sounds like what you’re doing now might make you feel more grounded. And when you get where you’re going, you’ll arrive with perspective and wisdom.

Is it possible this is actually a good thing about growing older?

SHARK: Who knew?

Oh wow!  Thank you so much for your help!

SHARK: Hold it! What about me?  I still feel bad about eating that shark years ago. Any words of wisdom to help me through it?

Well…on one hand, I guess you shouldn’t have done that. On the other hand, lots of sharks have eaten other sharks, so it probably felt like a natural thing to do.  On the other hand, at that time, there were probably other things to eat in the ocean, so choosing that shark was a bad idea. On the other hand, sometimes we have to learn from our mistakes.  On the other hand–

SHARK:  Aaaah!  You’re confusing me!  I told you not to confuse me!

 I’m outa here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Copyrightoverthehillontheyellowbrickroad2018

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Do you have a shark?  How’s it doing?

58 thoughts on “CONVERSATION WITH…An Elderly Shark…Reflecting on the shark inside her”

  2. I always worked in sales and some of the sales people would have done ANYTHING for a sale. I decided a sale was not that important, I still got great sales figures because I sold on honesty and people liked that. I think as we get older some of us lose a certain amount of drive to achieve.

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  4. I have definitely mellowed with age (like fine wine, maybe?). I will still go after certain things, or defend my values, with passion and fire, but even that is tempered by an awareness of how I may be impacting others or what footprint I am leaving. A lot of things that used to seem important (like being right), aren’t. I find I’m also a lot quieter—but in a good way. Thanks for a thought-provoking analogy … or is it a metaphor … I’m never sure?

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  5. I love all the remarks above! It’s so interesting to hear who gets “sharkier”, and at what stages. I used to be on a lot of neighborhood committees and would get upset at things. This year, I didn’t join any and am SO much calmer! I look the other way at the infractions to our HOA, and just say, “Don’t care.” Life is too short for the aggravation, however (and I don’t want to confuse the shark), it does depend upon one’s perspective and where they are headed!

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    • No worries, the shark is calm. 🙂 Years ago, I had the same reaction to the PTA as you have to the neighborhood committees. Maybe as we go through life, we end up joining different committees depending on what matters most to us at that moment. Like everything else…it changes.

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  6. As I grow older sometimes I feel like a shark; sometimes I feel like a tuna. But I think most of the time I am in the tuna zone. I’m still working but parttime and when I get fired up about something, I back off and say to myself, “Who cares? You work part time and soon will be retired. Focus on what you love to do, like writing and dribbling salsa on your nicest blouses.” And I feel better. And more grounded.

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  12. Awww the poor shark. And you left it more confused . lol. The shark within like every aspect has its own advantages and disadvantages. I loved the way you summed it up as “I didn’t hurt anyone physically, but I might have hurt others emotionally along the way without realizing it. I was so focused on what I was going for, I’m not sure I was completely aware of my behavior.”

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  14. As dwellers in a vast ocean we are conditioned to go after what we want and we are taught by default the value of being the more agressive fish. It is only time that teaches us that what we want isn’t necessarily what we need. Then we can welcome our inner tuna. Loved this.

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  16. I think as you get older it’s harder to be a shark as you realize nothing is simply black or white. There are far too many shades of grey! I’m more like a little fish hiding in the coral reef! 🙂

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  18. That was deep! 🤐
    I love how you went “on the other hand… On the other hand “😂 and I couldn’t stop thinking sharks don’t have hands, just fins! 😂 *Little humor to warm my tiny cold heart in the freezing winter 😄*

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