You likely are not shocked by that revelation if you know me personally, or have read anything I've written. I claim both my parents had a bit of those qualities. So you might say it's in my DNA--except, truth be told, it's a choice. 😉
When one of my former Social Workers defected to another VA, she gifted me with a small "Break the Rules" poster. I follow that advice. Almost daily.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not an anarchist. I believe there is a time and place for rules. Rules can help guide us, keep us safe, provide utilatarian structure, or further aesthetic artistry, etc. I'm not a total rebel.
For instance, I like following the order of holidays. To that end I believe it's good to prepare for upcoming holidays, but not at the expense of rushing through the "lesser" holidays leading up to a major holiday.
When we bypass Halloween, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving, in a headlong rush to arrive at Christmas, we miss fully experiencing the costumes, tricks, and treats of Halloween; the bittersweet remembrance of past sacrifices of our Veterans that ensure our current freedom; and the gathering of family and friends as we express our gratefulness around a gluttonous Thanksgiving table.
Because of this I rarely shop far in advance of the next holiday--just this week I decided not to purchase Halloween candy because Halloween is still "too far away." Besides, next week is Columbus Day.
I will probably regret this decision, when after Columbas Day, I return to purchase Halloween candy, and it's all sold out. But the real irony of my decision is adding another book or magazine to my cart each time I passed the book section as I criss-crossed the store "just browsing,l." I ended up with four total--three Christmas books and a Thanksgiving themed magazine. So much for following my Holiday Rule of Order.
Most reasonable rule followers will agree: under certain circumstances breaking a rule can be acceptable. There are times when a particular rule becomes obsolete or irrelevant and is in need of revision--or was just stupid at its inception.
Sometimes you need to be a rebal, color outside the lines, be innovative.
However, there are also times when the rules make sense and should be followed.
However, there are also times when the rules make sense and should be followed.
The photo, taken during my shopping experience today is a great example. I'm not sure the Christmas tree was meant to be a joke, the project of a bored or embittered employee, or the result of someone who didn't bother to understand the rules before breaking them; however, I do know this Christmas tree is not aesthetically pleasing to my eye. In fact, the sight of it was so odd it stopped me in my tracks as I exclaimed, "that Christmas tree is trying to be a girl!" I had to explain my comment to several clueless customers--but it was kind of fun watching the light bulb go off when they finally saw it. 💡
For the record, this slightly rebellious rule follower thinks the rule of "A-B-C-D" is much more eye-pleasing than the jumbled mess of "A-C-B-D"--at least when its applied to Christmas tree assembly.
For the record, this slightly rebellious rule follower thinks the rule of "A-B-C-D" is much more eye-pleasing than the jumbled mess of "A-C-B-D"--at least when its applied to Christmas tree assembly.
Sometimes even inconsistant headstrong, willful rebels need to color within the lines...and follow directions.
