I want to be right all the time. It’s a well-known, well-documented symptom of my disease, closely related to trying to control.
I know this about myself. I accept it. Most of the time, I can see what I’m doing and let it go.
But not yesterday.
Some time ago, I mentioned to my husband that I heard a reference to the movie Hoosiers as it related to Butler University. My husband thought it was odd, because Hoosiers was about a high school basketball team.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “There’s more than one classic basketball movie, I said. Maybe you’re confusing them.”
“No,” he said. He was adamant. I thought he must be wrong, but I let it go.
Then yesterday morning, I heard another reference on NPR. I knew I was on dangerous ground but I couldn’t help myself. I brought it up again.
“I know,” my husband said. “I read something similar in the paper yesterday. I can’t believe how all these news organizations keep getting it wrong.”
I bit my tongue. For a moment. I couldn’t seem to help myself.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes,” he answered adamantly. By now I was sure he was wrong. All those journalists couldn’t keep misstating such a basic fact. I’m a journalist. I know how it works. Not that I think we never make mistakes. We do. But there are always legions of people to point that out. Corrections are run. The record is set straight. Mistakes in a high-profile story just don’t keep getting reprinted.
“Let’s check it out,” I said.
This is meant to sound something like scientific inquiry. But really it’s a cover line for me saying: “Let me show you how wrong you are.” It fools no one. Not even me. Certainly not my husband.
So I Googled Hoosiers. Those of you who already know the answer to this question are undoubtedly laughing your butts off right now.
I was.... Wwwwrrrrong.
There. I got it out. I was wrong. Phew.
That’s right. Hoosiers is about a high school basketball team. The connection is they won their state championship at the gym where Butler plays and the movie recreation was filmed there.
So there you have it. My demons are still with me. Only today I can laugh about it.
Advent Prep
21 hours ago
Geez, there you go writing about me again. Are you sure you aren't spying on my life?
ReplyDelete:)
I LOVE to be right. I can just feel your pain like its my own. lol
ReplyDeleteYepp, can relate. And please you cant be right because I AM RIGHT! OK, ok, I have learned a bit, like that my triggers are my treasure and that I cna laugh about it. That my issues havent changed but my approach has. Mostly however I like the statement learned at an Al Anon meeting: you wanna be right or you wanna be happy? Hugs and love, Paula
ReplyDelete'This is meant to sound something like scientific inquiry. But really it’s a cover line for me saying: “Let me show you how wrong you are.” It fools no one. Not even me. Certainly not my husband.'
ReplyDelete'So there you have it. My demons are still with me. Only today I can laugh about it.'
laugh about it and share it...and give the rest of us encouragement...we're not alone...we're in this together eh?
loved it,
todd
I also love to be right, but at least we can laugh about being wrong:)
ReplyDeleteI am laughing out loud with this one. You and I are definitely sisters!
ReplyDeletethat is funny, kathy! :) i can relate. and i'm glad you're able to laugh. laughing at myself is something i've found hard to do. but more and more am able.
ReplyDelete:) This post made me smile. Kathy, thanks.
ReplyDeleteI went through something like this, just this afternoon...
ReplyDeleteI forwarded a funny email - it was slightly political, but not really biased one way or the other, that I could see.
Soon after, I got a very strongly biased response from my brother, who makes no bones about the fact that he leans in the opposite direction as I do, when it comes time to vote. His email made me so angry!
I hadn't really intended a political debate, but I was sure ready for one, then! I started googling things, trying to find ammo to prove him wrong - and I did!
And then I stopped myself.
What possible good would it do?
This was not going to change his mind about anything. All it would do was egg him on to push harder against me, and then what? I push back again? It's so pointless.
I still feel annoyed that he got the last word, especially since he saw fit to reply not just to me, but to everyone I had sent the email to. Even so, I am determined to let it go. Its just not worth it.