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to me
Marriage requires daily compromise that ebbs and flows—a cook compromises by substituting an ingredient. A deadline needs a smidge of compromise to be met.
As a Capricorn--the goat replete with horns--compromise doesn’t come naturally to me. I get the job done, but it needs to be done “just so.” This is a polite way of saying, "My way or the highway!" These perfectionist tendencies make compromise difficult. In short, I can be a pain. Thinking back on the last time I compromised is causing my head to explode. Has it been that long?
If I count the little things, such as sharing a meal and selecting it together, well, I did that last night. But if I look for the BIG compromises, I draw a blank. I was raised to have strict principles that don't back down for anyone.
This works great for leadership, ensuring the mission is adhered to. It's not so great for home renovations, friendship, and politics.
I miss the days of open compromise in the halls of Congress when a good idea was worth supporting, no matter whose it was. Of course, there was plenty of horse-trading to get to the compromise, which is the very essence of compromise. You scratch my itch, I'll scratch yours.
Recently, I attempted to trade a board position to my husband for a BIG favor he wanted from me. He took the bait, then thought better of it. See, I tried to compromise.
Compromising can be easier if someone wants to consider the facts of a matter and all sides. I won't attempt to compromise with someone who thinks down is up, the earth is only 6,000 years old, or man never landed on the moon. What would be the point
To be able to compromise, there has to be some essential idea of what is reasonable and what isn't. If you can't meet on a reasonable playing field, compromise is out of the question.
Donna Steele is a regular contributor to The Studio, an artistic journal, published by Bluewater Publications, and was a recognized, award-winning opinion writer by the Hoosier Press Association. She is also a poet and leads an Open Mic monthly at Southall in Florence, AL.
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