I have a woman friend who is bright and witty, but there is this little sliver of her brain that retains and polishes up grudges like other people collect salt and pepper shakers.
Her name is Shelly and I really like her. She has a Ph.D. in psychology and an MBA from Stanford. She advises me on business transactions. Without her sage advice, I would have lost a bunch of money on crazy ideas that keep popping up in my brain.
Yet, much of Shelly’s life is spent on intense anger toward friends and family who she feels have treated her badly. She gets these tiny craters in her forehead as she describes to me how these people have wronged her and now, no matter how long it takes, she will pay them back.
Shelly is a strong, influential woman and I don’t want her to have a grudge against me. Yet, I chose to tell her over the phone today she has a problem. She hung up on me.
I’m worried. Maybe I should have just shut up.