Professor Bob

 

The Balancing Act 

If you read and agreed with my post, “Animals All,” you will want to explore with me what it means to have an animal and a parent as part of our makeup. To deny that reality and proclaim that we are fully rational beings is to set ourselves up for a fall. As we explore human nature, we will encounter the number 3 as being key to a balanced, satisfying life. 

 I must begin with some of the masters of human behavior, and, perhaps, the oldest triplet of them all, “The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost.” Freud used the triplet, ”Superego, ego and Id.” Eric Berne talks about, “The Parent, Adult and Child.” 

If we consider the groupings, then we end up with: Father, Superego and Parent in one group, Son, Ego and Adult in the second group, and Holy Ghost, Id and Child in the last group. 

The modern language of Bern works best in explanation, so let’s use his terms. The Adult, you, stands in the middle, stuck with the executive function, the need to decide what to do. Memories of what happened last time live here. 

On one side stands The Parent, a complex of inflexible injunctions about what to say and do. Things like what to say to the boss, the girl or guy next door or the minister. Things like don’t call her “cutie” in front of her father/husband, or admire the man’s physical build in front of his girl friend. Imagine your mother standing there, shaking her finger at you, telling you to be a good little girl or boy. 

Then there is The Child, holding your other hand, tugging at you. The Child is all about feelings, wanting food when they are hungry and wanting to be fed right now, wanting to poke the bear to see what happens and have some excitement, wanting some giggle ‘n’ wiggle time and there is a beautiful body, a perfect piece of eye candy. The child, who is liable to be difficult if denied. 

 Your challenge, as The Adult, is to keep your Parent from kicking up too much of a fuss and placating your Child, keeping tears and tantrums at bay. 

Perhaps some of your workmates would like to celebrate Friday by going to the “Giggle And Wiggle House” for some beers and entertainment. Perhaps your Parent will be satisfied if you skip the beers in favour of ginger ale, while your Child will be chilled by the company of friends and some entertainment. 

The result will be a good evening out and a happy Adult, you, able to be satisfied by the balance you have achieved and the fun you have had. 

Can you do karaoke without being half drunk??  LOL

 Professor Bob