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Life In The Parentheses.

8/7/2015

2 Comments

 
One day back in the 7th grade my English teacher told me that I lived in the parentheses. I was much like I am now, silly, talkative, restless, energetic and wild. I laughed and so did everyone else, but I had no clue what that meant. I asked my teacher what in the world she meant by this, but she told me that I had to figure it out for myself. That whole year I struggled and pondered what this whole parentheses thing could possibly mean. It was a class joke, and I would joke about it too, but I couldn’t help but think, what does it mean when she said I live in the parentheses? Obviously it has had an impact on me since it has stuck with me 5 years later, but I can finally say I have discovered the meaning behind it all.

The word parentheses means digression: a message that departs from the main subject. It means to be in your own little world, something random that has nothing to do with what’s going on. Parentheses are in interlude or interval, they are inserted into a passage that would be incorrect otherwise. Being a grammar nerd, this all makes perfect sense, but what does it mean in relation to my life?

Living in the parentheses isn’t a bad thing at all I’ve learned. It means you are set apart from the rest of the world. It means you don’t care about the drama, or anything else that is going on in the middle of the "sentence". It means I’m off in my own little side attraction in this crazy game of life. Some people may say that’s a bad thing, that I am random and I don’t understand the “real world”, but it’s the exact opposite of that. Inside the “parentheses” I can see everything outside of them. I can see all the chaos without getting wrapped up in it all because I have decided to separate myself from it. All of the stuff people tend to miss, or forget about is located inside the parentheses. The "afterthought" or "side notes" are needed to make the sentence complete, just as being yourself and separating yourself from negativity and drama is needed in your life. People get caught up in so many useless things, and they let the bad things take over their lives and hinder their energy and they don’t even recognize it. The parentheses are separate from all that, and although it may be off track or random, it’s fun. Being your own person and being off in your own little world is great, people may think I’m not living in the real world, but living in the parentheses is real. It’s the little piece of fun on the side of life that people are afraid to venture into.

Living in the parentheses also has another meaning too. This has to do more with me and who I am. I am not shy, I’m not, in grammar terms a “normal sentence”. But what's fun about being normal? I am crazy, goofy, loving and outgoing and I like to go outside the lines. I like being completely random and off track, and that should never be a bad thing. I would rather “live in the parentheses” than just be stuck in mundane routine of everyday life. I’m not saying I’m totally spaced out all the time, or that I like to run away from reality,  I just like being a “ message that departs from the main subject”.

I love living in the parentheses. I can be myself and I really don’t care what other people think. I’m not going to waste my time trying to change myself and adjust who I am to please other people. That’s just plain ridiculous, if they don’t like me for who I am, then that’s just too bad.  Maybe at first I didn’t get it, and maybe It took me my 5 years to even get this far, maybe I will never know the FULL meaning of what it really means. But that’s what living is all about, not knowing what’s going to come next and living in your own world. Why worry about what’s coming next, when you can live in the moment? Separating yourself from certain things in life can be difficult, but I've found it to be really rewarding.

Don't be afraid to venture into your own little bubble. Don't just be part of a paragraph, make your own thoughts and ideas and don't be afraid to express them. Embrace creativity an total randomness. My English teacher was right when she said I lived in the parentheses, and I'm loving every minute of it.

Do you live your life in the parentheses?

Love Always,
Olivia Jane

2 Comments
salomon台灣 link
6/7/2016 20:18:12

<a href="http://www.salomontaiwan.com">salomon台灣</a>

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Greg Curtis link
1/2/2017 06:14:46

Hello Olivia,

So, this morning, I am meeting with my life coach, and my processing here before our meeting has led to your blog above. To prep for my meeting today, one of the things I wrote quite unexpectedly is that I did not want to live my life in parentheses. I had never heard this before, or pondered it, and then I decided to google it. Blam! There was your blog. It is excellent! It has me thinking....

I had this thought about a parenthetical life on the heels of a recent family party, where the energy and the topics were generally either things I was out of touch with or not that interested in. You see, I am interested in the deeper things of life, not small talk, not who scored a touch down, or how much Susan is eating in the next room. So, I am considering - today - how much to bring my agenda, my voice, to the forefront...to share it, even if it is out of synch, or disruptive. I actually did this recently with a group of old high school friends, who have turned almost exclusively to gossiping as a form of entertainment. Strange. They didn't gossip in high school, but now they sink into sectional couches, and lazybones and take shots at whoever is not present. I asked questions like, "How do you know THAT is true?" "Can you think of anything you like about him?" "Really, tell us, what are 'all Russians like?' " My old friend, at the end of the gathering, showed me to the door, and said, "Greg, we don't like to think." So, that was my experiment with being out of the parentheses. Maybe I DO want to venture out: There are both costs and rewards. Other times, like if "I don't want to see fireworks," I am good staying in the parentheses, and doing what I want to do.

Hm?...

Anyway, thank you for the blog!

Sincerely, Greg Curtis
(By the way, I am psychotherapist, a life coach, and
senior--citizen- entertainer, in Burlington MA.. And I just
mention my jobs here, parenthetically, because this
discussion is broader than my jobs.)

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    Hi! I'm Olivia! I am an 20 year old optimist from Cape Cod. I am a writer, yogi, photographer,book lover, and grilled cheese enthusiast. I believe in doing whatever the f*ck makes you happy.

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