I found myself in a horrible, hurtful, humiliating situation this weekend that was entirely my fault. It didn't feel good and much like Charlie Brown I found myself on the ground bruised inside where the wounds don't heal as quickly. Look at the cartoon. Most say it's Lucy who causes Charlie Brown's injury. Wrong! It's Charlie Brown who allows Charlie Brown to get injured. When I was perusing the web for this well known cartoon I found numerous versions where this exact thing happens to him only at a different time, season, location...
He knows that Lucy will pull the ball away at the last minute because it has happened time and time again. He knows this, but is "convinced" or does mental gymnastics to give her another chance. Next thing you know, Wham! Flat on his back. So where does the enabling "but" come in you ask? In his/your/my actions.
Maya Angelou says, "When you know better, you do better." When you know better and don't do better, it is the "but" that has wiped away all your wisdom and has enabled you and the other to not be the best they can be. It serves no one. Lucy is never accountable for her actions and doesn't learn that her bad behavior has consequences. She gets to maintain her victimizer status. Charlie Brown never learns that only he can enforce his boundaries, i.e., DON'T KICK THE BALL, and thus allows himself to ever play the victim.
So when you are faced with your football again ...
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