Misunderstandings do arise from time to time. Even for Rhinos with Generally Good Intentions.
Establishing a Misunderstanding requires very little Effort. However, maintaining one takes Two at least.
Mostly. That is the Rhino Experience, anyway.
Category Archives: R Temperament
Tormented
Today is August Strindberg’s birthday (b.1849 in Sweden). He was prolific as an essayist, painter, philosopher, and playwright. His dramas are charged with passion, distrust, and hostility, one character for another. Some of his work is naturalistic, other pieces more abstract, poetic, symbolic. However you look at it, his work is distinctive, peppered with paranoid intensity. Victims and victimizers, circling one another, playing for keeps.
Mr. Strindberg’s plays reflect his excitable nature. His work has plenty of juice between the lines, no doubt about it.
Rhinos don’t relate Mr. Strindberg’s way, if We can avoid it. We manage this by minding our own business and staying clear of Expectations or Romantic Notions. We give each other room.
Congrats
Each individual Rhino is best tuned to our Inner Rhino, in subtle, unique ways. Thus each of Us is aware of our Victories over Dubious Choices, those moments when We approach our potential for Excellence.
So who is better at acknowledging these Triumphs than We ourselves? Right. Nobody.
Rhinos are not double-jointed, which makes Pats on the Back tricky. But We each do what We can, when appropriate; it’s the spirit of the thing that counts.
Thwarted
On our most Philosophical Days, We Rhinos can see disappointed expectations as a Growing Opportunity.
All the rest of the time, We tend to think of unexpected difficulties as a Pain in the Neck.
Rhinos are only Pretty Perfect, We blush to admit.
Blue
Depression is no laughing matter, as any Rhino would tell you. Left to fester, it can be debilitating indeed.
For Us, the problem indicates some lack of clarity about one’s Inner Resources, which are Infinite. Somehow, no matter how, the focus has shifted to judgments and analysis, which can only damage the sensitive core.
Rhinos try to shift their attention to the Inner Rhino, the Natural Center, to help reconfigure perspective. Help is available, but We do have to ask and pay attention.
It also helps to discuss matters, to get a realistic idea of what Happiness looks like. Often expectations are out of proportion. One hint: Happiness does not look like a shampoo commercial.
Qualms
Rhinos do make mistakes, and not all of them can get patched up. Sometimes We feel victimized. Sometimes it just feels like We are embroiled over a misunderstanding.
Anyhow, Regrets are a sticky business. We apologize, but there is often a bad aftertaste. We feel wronged.
All a Rhino can do is press on, and hope Bad Feelings will fade, the sooner the better. For everyone concerned.
Phys Ed
Sometimes Rhinos will sense that We are coming apart at the seams. Not so much physically as mentally. The Stresses associated with Santa, Dietary Indulgences, one Festive Hootenanny after another form a cumulative Pressure.
What can a Rhino do about it?
Hold on. Maybe take a nap. In a week or so, Normalcy will return from Vacation, and then We can complain about how dull things are.
Self Control
Every Species has its own special sets of Guidelines, ways of keeping most family members from Catastrophe. These customs are taught in many ways, both direct and by Experiment. Despite Mavericks and Comedians, the point is that these Rules are in place. Rhinos call it Tradition.
Rhino Rules are not readily understood by Critters other than Rhinos. In fact, they are not always apparent to Rhinos; these are just the Do’s and Don’ts of Rhinodom. Generally speaking, We comply.
In our Efforts to comprehend the Rules of other Critters, We are seldom successful. Can We truly understand their what or why? We have doubts.
Primitivity
Although Life in the Wild is mostly Wild (slightly crazed) at mealtimes, Rhinos are normally Quiet and Orderly.
Rhinos prefer to focus on our inherent Serenity, whenever possible.
We credit our Vegetable Diet.
Tick, Tick, Tick
There is a lot to be said for High Hopes. Now and then, Rhinos feel a surge of Lurking Niftiness. Thrilling Times on the way, for sure.
In fact, Rhinos like to store up Gusto, just to boost the final Ta-Daah! Sometimes We postpone the Surprise itself, just because Anticipation is so much fun.
Great Expectations.
Your Inner Rhino 