What I Write About

I write about the infinite number of intersections between every day life and the good news of the God who has come to get us.

Friday, December 21, 2007

Catastrophizing

So maybe it's just the stress of the holidays but in the past couple of weeks Kelly and I have definitely felt the reality of three kids four and under sinking in. I'm not even sure how or where i'd begin if I were to begin to whine/describe all that's gone down. It's just been overwhelming. And exhausting.

Several years ago my wonderful wife (who just joined me at the ripe age of 33 the other day, btw) invented a word that sums up both of our tendencies during times like these: catastrophize.

To catastrophize is to cull through a particularly challenging time of life and magnify all that is hard while carefully avoiding anything hopeful or good. You then extrapolate all the hard things over the next fifty years of your life. Tah-dah, you've just managed to catastrophize! See how easy that was? Don't we all feel better now?

This is probably indicative of some deeper psychological issues, at least in me. But that's for another days post.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I, too, have the same tendencies, Alex. Great word, Kel! Hope the birthday was lovely. I'll call in January, when all the holiday stuff has died down, and you have a BETTER chance of having a free moment. Love you all!!!

Michelle said...

Oooh, I catastrophize all the time!!

fiercest said...

i am reading this to my mum, in her pajamas making Jesus' birthday cake (note: Jesus prefers triple chocolate. everyone knows this.) and she says, "i LIKE that. read it again."

happy christmas, kirk family.