I am really curious, now that I’ve written that title, about what associations you might be having about it. What do you expect this post is going to be about?
You might think it’s about letting go of
*
about a common act, shared by humans everywhere.
If you think that, you would be correct.
You might wonder if this post is about rationalizing some action that’s bad for you or for others, like
. **
If you think that, you would be incorrect.
So what IS the that in “Everyone does that. No need for shame”?
It could be so many things, right? However, I am thinking about a particular action that
- we all do and
- a lot of people have some shame about, in some way.
I’m realizing this, right now. If you’re a regular reader here, you might think today’s post concerns my being afraid or some disappointment regarding my presentation yesterday.
If you think that, you would be incorrect.
Okay, I think I’ve kept up the suspense for long enough.
Earlier this week, somebody in my office was talking about some difficult gastrointestinal problems, affecting quality of life. This person stopped and said
I’m embarrassed to be talking to you about this.
I replied, “Why?” And I spoke the name of a popular children’s book:
My patient smiled, thought, and made a face. “It stinks.”
I said, “Everybody’s does. In fact, there’s that saying about it NOT stinking.”
This person understood what I meant.
Here’s a relevant entry from the Urban Dictionary:
shit don’t stink
Usually preceded by a name, this refers to a hypocrite who believes that they are perfect.
Denida thinks his shit doesn’t stink.
by Kung-Fu Jesus April 21, 2004
It’s time to end my post, for today. Before I do, here’s a photo I took yesterday, on my way to work:
***
Unless I’m incorrect … that’s a port-a-potty, isn’t it?
Thanks to my patients, to Taro Gomi, to those who poop, to Kung-Fu Jesuses everywhere, to people who do their best letting go of shame, to anyone else who helped in the creation of this post, and to you — of course! — for everything you do.
* I found that image here.
** I found that image here.
*** I found that image way up high, in the sky.
I am reminded of Jonathan’s Swift’s Poem, “The Lady’s Dressing Room,” and I think I remember a saying beginning, “Even the queen of England….”
Many thanks to Jonathan Swift, the queen of England, and you, Gene!
Wishing you a good pooping day! It does make a difference doesn’t it?!?!
🙂
That’s the straight poop, Val! Thank you for the comment and your smile.
Ann, I’m just grateful that you didn’t share a picture of poop! ahaha 🙂
Diana xo
I accept your gratitude happily, Diana. xo back at ya.
LOL, fun post. Everybody poops, indeed.
Shame kind of fascinates me, there is so much of it and it can be really destructive. In the very first book of the bible, one of the first things God says to Adam and Eve after they eat the fruit is, “hey, what’s this? I did not give you a spirit of shame!” That’s not an exact quote, but you get the idea. An argument could be made that the entire fall of mankind had to do with the introduction of shame.
Wonderful insights. I am thankful, indeed.
My oldest friend in life, Mike, his father, Sal, well, Sal and I got along so very well, Ann. That was a good thing, because Mike and I met when I moved into the school district before eighth grade. And then we went to junior high, high school, junior college and senior college together, and worked for the same newspaper, and I was his best man and our wives are friends and even though we now live 300 miles apart … anyway, Sal, may he rest in peace, Sal and I could sit down and talk.
I tell you all of this so you will believe me.
Sal invented a fan that you could hook up to the inside of your toilet and it would send all the stink downward when you flushed. And it worked. I have no idea why it did not go big. It could have changed that old saying and altered your excellent blog post of today if some company would have been smart enough to buy Sal’s invention.
I am so glad to have met clever Sam, posthumously. Thank you for the introduction. There are other products I am aware of, these days, that are also trying to make that old saying (and perhaps this blog post) obsolete. One of them is called PooPourri. Google that, if you don’t believe me.
And by the way, Mark, I always believe you.
I just find these products to be, quite frankly Ann, unbelievable.
But I did believe in Sal.
And I always believe in you, too, no Google needed as proof.
Yes we do. And based on commercials on TVs and magazines, a lot of people have problems with it and need some kind of supplement. makes me wonderful if we’ve all been chronically constipated all these years or, are we just now coming out of the constipation closet?
I wonder. Thanks for the comment!
In the end we are all the same. 🙂 Great post Ann.
So great to see you here, Sue. And thanks for that sweet-smelling comment.
LOL on your THANKS…
I’ve seen that book at ToysRUs. It was next to The Gas We Pass…
Yes – everybody farts too.
So true, RoSy! Thanks for passing that wisdom.
Thanks for this refreshingly down-to-earth post, Ann. We should never knock poo – it’s a rich source of comedy, and if we can’t laugh at our shit, we are constipated indeed. 😀
No shit, Annabelle! Thanks so much.
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