That’s one of my favorite stories by shel Silverstein. Just a solid reminder you need to be happy with yourself. Not look for something outside of yourself to bring you happiness or complete you.
The article brought back some good memories of camping with friends - one of them brought this book and read it to us. We were all in our late 20s, no kids around. Kate I miss your awesome vibe.
I found it depressing actually. Social connections are a large part of life. So as an introvert who has a hard time finding those connections being told I should be happy is actually wrong: sure I can be okay, but social connections are something missing. Together people really are larger than the sum of their parts.
I don’t think it is telling you to be happy not making connections if you want to make connections with people.
It is saying - don’t wait on others to come and change or complete you; you have to make the changes yourself first.
In your situation; if you truly believe you need to stretch your skillset to be more extroverted at times, that is something you need to take personal responsibility for. You need to add to your capabilities through effort.
So I don’t think it’s really saying you don’t need others ever; it’s saying don’t look to others to “fix” you; if you need to be less introverted at times, that’s something you can work to control.
The Missing Piece is such a great metaphor for the dynamics of relationships that it continues to predict reality beyond even what Silverstein imagined.
You've got the wedge and incomplete circle, that when fitting together just right, roll along perfectly. That becomes unstable once one piece changes.
Then you've got the end-state: two self-sufficient circles which roll in parallel, just because they choose to.
The first two stay together via a strong need, like a dipole-dipole bond between molecules of a solid. The second stay together with a much weaker, Van der Waals force, and are easily separated.
It very aptly predicts the rise in divorces in the West once women had more opportunities to be self-sufficient. I won't address if that's good or bad; I just want to compliment Silverstein on a very successful metaphor.
Love this - often times if I get off work later than normal and get home after dark, I’ll walk around the neighborhood - live in a small town so you can see the stars and smell the trees; I almost always feel like a little kid again - like that feeling of being alive and outside is more true than all the work you do typing at a computer all day.
Your story reminded me of that feeling - so cheers!
I actually think that sounds like something my wife would life; it came out in 1999 so timing fits that she should be aware - maybe I am just the unfortunately I aware one.
Always jealous of the good story tellers and artists - that just was not the talents I was given!
It's a pretty cool genre mashup. There are two seasons, and I think reactions to the ending were mixed... I'm honestly not sure I ever finished it, as season 2 didn't air in America until 2013 which is well after my Toonami watching days.
It's available for streaming on HiDive, or if you have a vrv.co subscription you can watch it there. Ending aside, I really think it's worth a watch for the ambiance and atmosphere, as well as the visual style.
