Friday, March 30, 2012

Moving Thoughts Friday


Every Friday I’m going to ask a question. The questions I choose might be ambiguous on purpose. The goal is to have you answer the question according to your beliefs, where you’re at in life or a circumstance that might have recently impacted you. The only thing I ask is that you provide an explanation for why you answered the way you did.

It’s my hope to understand you better through this and also to gain a greater understanding of humanity and how people make decisions.

Recently I confided in someone after wrestling with an ongoing situation, “Sometimes I think I care too much.” Obviously you have no idea the circumstance I speak of, but I want your thoughts in general…talk to me about caring. Is it possible for someone to care too much, feel too much, invest too much? Have you ever felt this—that you care too much?

*photos by Stock.XCHNG

20 comments:

  1. Sometimes I wonder if the majority of writers are born with this.

    Sometimes I wonder if it's not why we're able to write about crazy, big things that we haven't ourselves experienced. We can imagine what that experience would be because our feelings run very, very deep.

    You're not alone, Wendy-girl.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Like Katie said, I think it's the reason I write. I can never turn off the emotions and thoughts flying through me. Writing gives me a way to process all that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think it is possible to care too much, because when I do, I realize the caring isn't about the other person or group of people, it's about how the situation is impacting ME. I wind up caring too much about ME, so in that respect, I can care too much.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Definitely possible and I agree with Katie! However, if I'm not paying attention I can become callused and not seem to feel much at all. I would like to find the happy middle.

    ReplyDelete
  5. There have been times I wish I didn't care so much, but that's only because I end up hurt in the end. Jesus cared...a lot...so we should care too. Still, there are times we care for others and they just stomp on our hearts. So maybe a bit of protection isn't a bad thing. I don't know.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh, I've been there! I think it's definitely possible to care too much, but in a strange way I think it can also be a gift from God--the gift of compassion. Still, there are times to be compassionate and times to distance yourself. Praying wisdom for you (and all of us!) Wendy!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think a person can care too much. Some people just have a passionate nature. I personally think writers are more sensitive, and therefore, passionate, empathetic people. We tend to be careful observers and intensely feel the emotions of a situation as they come about.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've had moments where I felt I've cared too much. Invested too much, loved too much. But I think those are the moments when we can cling tighter to Christ because He has the ability to hold up where we lack the strength. And He always sees us through it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have felt like that at times, it probably stems from my people pleaser personality.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The only thing I wish I cared LESS about is what other people think of me!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Boy, I struggled to answer this one. Sometimes I've wondered if I'm holding on to my kids and my husband too tightly. I think about losing them and even the thought makes me want to shut down. So, yeah, I do wonder sometimes if I love too much. As far as writing goes, I do hold pretty tightly to my publication dream. I'm determined to go the distance. Because of this, if I'm ever asked to give it up, I can see that being incredibly hard. God will have to yell the direction in my face, I'm afraid! :) So, yes, I do worry about this and I do think it's possible to hold on too tightly.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh yes, I think I end up caring too much about some things. Often, little things which really won't make a difference in the end. Usually looking back, I end up laughing at myself.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Absolutely. If I care too much about my kids' problems, my joy suffers. I even had the Lord tell me once, "It's not your life, Jeanette," when I was worrying over an issue with one of my grown children.

    If I care too much about others' opinions of me, I give them more power over me than than they merit. Only God deserves to have His opinions revered.

    Look up the word "care" in the dictionary. You might be surprised at some of the definitions. It's not the sweet, lovely word we've always believed it to be.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Definitely. I've cared too much for people who didn't care about me enough. I'm all about caring but not if it's only going to hurt me. There's levels of caring--it's impossible to care for all people equally.

    ReplyDelete
  15. For me, it depends on what I'm caring about. If it's selfless (Mother Teresa comes to mind), I don't see how that can be bad. Jesus called us to live a life of service.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I do not think you can care too much.
    I think you can care in the wrong way ... but I do not think you can love someone too much ... I hope when I die I have given all of my heart away ...

    ReplyDelete
  17. Yes, I can care too much about a circumstance in another's life. Not sure what they call it now, in the 1990's the 'experts' called it co-dependency." I have to approach situations with the idea that the other person is an adult. Last week, I had to let go of an attitude I was developing because I had to realize that I am not in charge. This week went better. But, there again, I had to trust God to guide me through a situation or two.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I think it's possible to care too much. Our lives can become so entwined with another person (not spouse) that we lose our perspective and ability to help.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Yes! Great question.

    I believe it's easy to fall into the "caring too much" trap, and then, suddenly find yourself in too deep to help.

    My life example of this was during my first year of teaching. I met a kid with a horrific family life. I thought about him nonstop. My moods started to depend on how things were going with him. Totally unhealthy.

    ReplyDelete

Taking Time

college applications                 homecoming                            flag football                basketball             SATs   ...