“Schadenrelief is a word I coined myself. (Somebody had to.) Schadenrelief is a slightly less sinister version of schadenfreude. Schadenrelief is the selfish relief you feel in reaction to someone else's suffering. It's the relief that's expressed whenever you internally say to yourself those 5 magic words: “I'm glad it wasn't me.””
- Alphonse Daudet.
Intent speaks loudest through internal dialogue. That little conversation had with yourself in times of reflection, of silent contemplation, of solitary consideration.
It is during these times that you come to realise what truly does, or does not matter.
“I’m glad it wasn’t me.”
A cold, egocentric rebuttal. Superficial, and a defence mechanism. Although probably seldom admitted by most, it happens. It has and will continue to happen to me.
This is the test of significance.
Both happiness and grief can touch vicariously, one simply chooses not to. Which is why, it is worth everything when you find something, someone, whose life touches yours, through good and bad.
“Relationships are so fragile, it just takes one thing, one tiny-little offence and it can snowball on ya. And if that snowball starts to pick up speed, God forbid, you better tuck and go my friend.”
- John C McGinley.
Behaviour and communication are irrational. It is all too easy to become distracted by those things of little consequence. The shiny, glittery trinkets of life which serve only to distance from that which sustains you. Those who complete you.
I am responsible for the emotion of another and too infrequently do I tell her what she means to me. Not just three word phrases, actually bearing my heart and being seen, imperfections included.
She means the world to me, but there’s a difference between knowing it, and being told.
“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”
- Steve Prefontaine.