Schadenfreude is a German word meaning, pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune. Three years of college German classes, and I barely know how to pronounce it, but it’s been in my vocabulary for years. As they say, if you’re not immersed in a culture, mastery of its language is much more of a challenge.
Regardless of its pronunciation, I think we all get the gist of schadenfreude. Would you believe me if I told you that all my years of holistic practice and study of varying modalities has led me to be above the fray of such notions? I also no longer get worked up over someone leaving an ice-cold beer sitting out in the hot sun.
Seriously, there’s a part of me that definitely got off on seeing a reckless driver get smoked by Beaufort County’s finest in a school zone. I think I popped my daughter’s eardrum I was clapping so hard. I’ve been waiting for years to see someone get pulled for that. (Strangely, I would exchange that over the person that blazed by us in the Lady’s Island Middle School zone this morning around 70mph. Goodness, that was scary.) Until I moved here, I never saw anyone pass another vehicle in the median. PSA: “I didn’t know I couldn’t do that,” is not a sound legal defense.
Reiki Master or not, we all get a charge when we see someone get what’s coming to them whether we want to admit it or not. Now’s not the time to be getting all high and mighty with me. For shame, SUTTY! Bump that, we gotta learn, and you don’t do that by not being honest. (The discussion of Karma and its bitchiness is another column.)
Just because you are potentially controlled by a desire to win doesn’t make you a winner any more than obstinance for the sake of obstinance does. An intuitive study of the cost of victory is needed. What does that mean? Well, certain things we can’t be certain about, can we? Ah, ah, ah, I’m not talking about what you heard, or what opinion you’ve formed, I’m talking about bringing all your senses to bear on the matter at hand.
“All feelings are welcome. All behaviors are NOT.” (Dr. Aliza Pressman, Ph. D Developmental Psychologist) Some senses are more developed than others, or another way of observing it is that some senses are paid more attention to than others. In many ways, that’s all Wholly Holistics is about: Developing sense.
What color of the wind do you choose to paint with? To paraphrase a close medium friend of mine, “Violet Flame Angels, please immerse me, a million times over, in your Violet Flame of protection, healing, growth, and finally, transmutation to my/our highest and best. Please expand the purple band every two minutes for the next 24 hours.” Adapt this to whatever ceremony, scenario, or timeline you’re focusing on.
Now an aside for some sports schadenfreude: Sure was nice seeing Clemson get blanked in the second half on their home field, even though we picked them for entertainment purposes only. Maybe Coach Swinney can get Arch in the transfer portal. Oh, wait… Much fun was also had watching the demise of what one was a storied program from Tuscaloosa. Too bad FSU had to be the one to do it, however. I’ve always liked Coach Belichick, but DAYAM was that an embarrassment for Tarheel Nation. And man, do I hope Jerry Jones regrets the Micah Parsons departure, not that he’d admit it. Jones accumulated billions as a spin-doctor, no doubt. Spin doctors have their place, but not here.
As for the business world, I’ve got former clients from years ago that I still observe, from afar, to be suffering the consequences of advice not taken. They were a$$holes from the beginning and never honored their end of things. Now, do I sit back and laugh diabolically over their self-created misfortune. Well, it’s more of a mirthy chuckle, but overall, it’s been an educational experience that’s aided me in avoiding pitfalls such as inviting similar souls back into my/our orbit. There were other lessons with these clients, that only time can buy, but that’s the most “schade” of them all.
I think that’s the difference, isn’t it? Take a moment to enjoy, but then get down to business. To be clear, I’m not referring to tragedies. Something could be broken within if you’re masochistical in nature. Focus on what can we learn from the mistakes of others? Schadenfreude is an opportunity to be childish for a second. Do NOT wallow, or waller, as I was raised saying. The “wallerin’” is where the sin lies, not the very human reaction of it all.
Next become child-LIKE and hit that easy button that’s often available in life if we know what to seek out. God knows we’ve all been there, but some more than others, right? Resist being tough in the manner that John Wayne was referring to, when he said, “If you’re going to be stupid, you better be tough.”
I mean, when you have a hammer in your hand, everything can look like a nail. Can one be so open-minded the bottom falls out? We’re seeing the other side of the coin now, aren’t we? Do we always need to know why or do we just need to simplify and feel what we feel. Believe me when I tell you: In all my studies, when I judged others for not studying, I was right, but I just didn’t know how right I was. No, not really right, just a little, though. A little dab will do ya. Know just enough to be dangerous and allow your truth to affect the alignment of your trajectory.
When you strive to be a mensch for yourself, guess what?
