Embracing the Construct

As I may have mentioned before, as a coping mechanism growing up I developed the technique of breaking up reality into smaller, more manageable fragments; friendships, jobs, academic life, and so on. This is called "dissociation" by doctor-types. This strategy, although basically effective as a way to shield myself from the world, inevitably led to problems because I didn't know how to properly handle the "overlap" among the various "spheres" or "sub-realities" I had forged. When "worlds collided" (as George Costanza from "Seinfeld" said) things usually blew up on me.

I am (finally) at a stage where I am willing and (I think) able to embrace reality as a whole, not deliberately disregarding elements that are uncomfortable or too unfamiliar to deal with.