“A relationship, I think, is like a shark. You know, it has to constantly move forward or it dies. I think what we have on our hands is a dead shark.” –Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) to Annie Hall (Diane Keaton)(quote courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes)
My hubby and I always laugh at that line, because more often than we care to admit, we are faced with a dead shark. Luckily, not in our personal relationship since we’ve learned to change and grow during the long course of our marriage (not an easy thing to do and not always a thing that one can do without discord).
In our relationships and daily lives, dead sharks are about not making changes or taking risks. It’s about the comfort factor of certain things outweighing the need to make a change.
Who wouldn’t want comfort instead of the shark tank that so many of us fear? Don’t we all feel as if we are about to jump into an ocean of sharks ready to devour us when we take a risk? When we make a change about which we are uncertain?
I guess today’s thoughts have been prompted by so many recent changes in my life. Sending the one and only daughter to college. Rekindling a friendship with the hubby. Seeing nieces and nephews going to school or moving out or getting engaged. Then there are the changes at work and with my writing. Changes everywhere and yet . . .
If it wasn’t for all those changes, I’d be a dead shark. Stuck in place and not moving ahead. Not growing as a person or as a writer. Which I guess means that as hard as it seems to jump into the shark tank, it isn’t as scary as becoming a dead shark.
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Caridad, it was so fun chatting with you tonight!
Change is hard, especially those that are part of our lives as being a mother and all. I think they just take longer to accept and heal. Hugs. Its taking me a hard time with my son gone too.
By the way, speaking of sharks….I heard on the news or somewhere that there was a special on some discovery channel talking with the people that had encounters with sharks. I’m probably too scared to watch it, but hubby said he will.
Charity, that’s too funny! I guess GMTA.
Rita,
Sorry to hear you’re unhappy at your job. There’s nothing worse then having to go in day after day to a place that makes you miserable. I had this one job and I was so extremely unhappy that I was actually in physical pain. I carried this huge bottle of antacids with me to work just so I could make it through the day. Ten minutes after I accepted a new job my stomach pain went away.
I hope you’re job isn’t like that and I wish you luck in your search.
Rayna
Dead Shark! Well guess you can say that’s what I’m currently feeling at my work *sigh* need a desparate change… hold thumbs for me everyone for something to come up soon for I’m not enjoying where I am anymore! So sad as I’ve been here nearly 9 years! Guess I’m feeling a bit like the furniture now *lol*
Oh man, so glad I got to see your blog today and catch up ;o)
By the way, munchos munchos good luck with your South Beach release!!! Love the cover and can’t wait to get my grubby hands on a copy *grin*
Thanks, Rayna.
You know it’s funny you mention barracudas. My parents grew up in Cuba where there were lots of dangerous ocean dwellers. Whenever we visited Miami — aka Cuba in the Heart of the Exile — my parents would say that you knew what a shark would do, but it was those crazy barracudas you had to watch out for! LOL!
Definitely, Gretchen. Change is scary to everyone. Anyone who says it isn’t scary is lying. We are like cats in that we find where we are comfortable and give anyone who wants to change that the hairy eyeball.
Gravity with older people is scary. You worry about them breaking something or getting hurt. My grandma broke her wrist twice one year when she tripped and fell. Luckily it was only the wrist.
Good luck with getting the parents safe and settled.
I’m not so worried about the sharks, I know they’re there and they’re circling. It’s the cat under the couch that’s going to jump out and bite my toes that has me nervous. You know what a shark is thinking, those cats are always working on a project, looking at you out of the corner of their eye…
But I know what you’re talking about, we’re trying to come to terms with my parents aging (and lately a rather dicey relationship with gravity).
Do we move them, or fix up the house so they can continue to live there. Do we get my mother a padded suit and a helmet so she bounces a little easier? So many questions, each one a potential shark.
Granted change is scary, but it’s also an adventure. I like trying new things and seeing what happens. They may flop they may fly but you’ll never know if you don’t try. Ok totally not meaning to rhyme.
Gretchen’s right. For the most part you know what the sharks are up to it’s those baby barracuda’s looking to take a bite out of your butt that you have to watch out for.
On the subject of older people and gravity. My grandmother lived in a townhouse with really steep steps that led to each level. After she fell a time or two and was lucky enough to walk away with few injuries. We had installed one of those chairs that would carry her up and down the stairs. If you’ve ever seen the movie Gremlin’s you’ll know what I mean. The cranky rich lady had one of those installed. (Horrible example I know, but it was the only example that came to mind.)
Rayna
Well, you can jump into a lake, but then your feet sink into all the soft gooey stuff down at the bottom — yuck!
And did you know there are sharks in lakes as well or that bull sharks can survive in fresh water? Some scientists think it was a bull shark that did all those killings in New Jersey that inspired the movie Jaws.
Just some trivia for today.
Can’t you just jump into a nice, clean, heated pool without sharks and still move on with your life?
Why do I have to fight off sharks if there are other places to swim?
I hate being scared. I hate the thought of being shark food.
Oh, why must there always be sharks???