Sticks and Stones

The following morphed into the poem "Milton," (the previous post) but I figure it doesn't hurt to disclose an inspiration for it...

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Naivety is not only a terrible thing to waste, it's almost impossible to maintain. When curiosity pushes you to investigate motive, a speculative and dangerous path awaits.

They generously offer to save you from disappointment. They remind you others will laugh. They ask what past success qualifies you to push forward. They distract, dismiss, discourage. They accuse you of pretension, plagiarism, and egomania. They are disgusted with your unwarranted passion. They are quick to point out a grammatical error or misspelling. They do not suggest improvements, and sometimes you are ashamed to assume they exaggerate their enthusiasm when pointing out your flaws. You regard it as another one of your flaws. It is.

These things are all acceptable, even necessary. They force you to ask these questions of yourself. They are often honest, sincere, and good-natured. They are for your own good. From a genuine source, you ignore them at your own peril. To dismiss them is to reject your own improvement.

Of all that we are subjected to, it is most dangerous to misinterpret a healthy dose of constructive criticism for a vicious attack aimed at our failure. That is never the proper interpretation. If true, an attack can be the most welcome source of improvement. If false, it is of no use to you anyway.

This is a long way to say "sticks and stones," and may be obvious, but I think it's important to remind ourself of the reasoning for these things. You can get by in life without ever the need to question another's unseemly motives, as evil as they seem. Their utility is evident in their usage and results. On the unfortunate day they are aimed at your exploitation, it will be the day you have been waiting for.