All Things Personified…I Bet You Do It Too

Ever notice how some inanimate objects seem to possess a sense of understanding?  Then again, maybe it’s just me?  It could be as a result of my being the only and youngest girl in my family; thereby helping me to develop a keen sense of all things around me, as I was left to my imagination much of the time while my older brothers ‘hung out’ together.  Regardless, throughout my lifetime, I have always had a tendency to personify or place human-like qualities on various items.  Been made fun of somewhat for doing so, as a child for sure.  But, it’s okay.  I’m over it:-)  I have even come to embrace it as part of who I am. 

As a kid, I ‘talked’ to all kinds of things.  In fact, I recently found a whole tape, both sides, of me babbling away, while my mom worked in the kitchen.  Priceless to listen to, I can tell you that.  You know, I can still remember ‘jibber jabbering’ into the little red tape recorder (ummm…that dates me a little, but I’ll go with it) about all kinds of topics.  When the little red ‘boombox’ wasn’t available, I talked to whatever or whomever I could find.  Yes, I am definitely a verbal being, which by now is no surprise to some of you.  Of course, the nice part about inanimate objects, as you well know, is that they don’t talk back and they listen relentlessly:-)  Right up my alley, as someone who was then looking for an audience.  Now, looking back, I can see how my inventive, communicative nature came about.  Not necessarily a bad thing I’d say and certainly traits which I have relied upon and use regularly in my present career and everyday life.

As an adult, I will reluctantly admit that I have been known to talk to my vehicles, plants, workout apparatuses and anything technology-related (though, I dare not repeat most of the latter, as it usually involves me being frustrated, since I was clearly born a ‘non-techie’ kinda person).  Surely, some of you can relate to the categories I speak of here.  Add to that any kind of appliance or tool that gets used frequently in your household which has been known to have some quirks and/or needs some TLC in order to work properly and this post could go on forever, though I promise it won’t.  Instead, let me cite some of my earlier examples.

Vehicles.  Let’s take my little convertible.  I love it to pieces, but it is a standard and apparently, I tend to have more of a propensity toward automatics.  That being said, I always thank my little Miata every time she and I manage to get started again, without rolling into the person behind us, after being stopped on a hill.  I think it goes something like, “Way to go, Girl!  We did it again.”  And, with respect to switching gears?  Well, let’s just say that my car is very forgiving and it often gets a pat on the dash for, “Hanging in there”.  Bless it’s little…engine!!

Plants.  Now, I know that I am not alone in this department.  Especially to those of you who are avid gardeners, be it vegetables or flowers.  ‘Conversations’ of many kind ensue, as we patiently watch, encourage and wait for something to grow, along with words of gratitude when it finally comes to fruition.  We coddle, we water, we fertilize, we weed, and we pass along any words of supposed wisdom in how we feel it, the plant or flower, can/should reach its fullest potential.  On a semi-plant related note, I have been known to talk to our garden hose used for watering.  It doesn’t seem to matter what kind we buy or how much we spend, the darn thing never seems to roll up properly, and it has a real affinity for getting caught up on our bushes out front when trying to stretch it out.  Words for it go something like this, “Will you give me a break already?  Now, come on…”  The problem here is that it just doesn’t seem to listen OR understand.  ‘Patience, Dear Sue.  Patience’.

Workout Apparatuses.  My fellow workout friends can likely attest to certain phrases attached to their exercise regime.  Whether spoken to ourselves or to the pieces of equipment that we use, I’ve been known to say things such as, “Be good to me, Baby…”, “Not so fast” (as if it has control?), or “Holy Man, what’s going on here?” (usually when I’ve been away from it for awhile and something ‘suddenly’ seems insurmountable–like it’s the machine’s fault?!).  Then there’s my husband’s infamous, “Come on, you ….” (well, I’ll let you finish that one).  My theory here is that if words help you get through it, use them!  In a gym setting with others, you may want to tone it down a bit, but when in the confines of your own four walls, let it rip.  Afterall, it’s only meant to benefit your health, right?

As it turns out, I think my childhood habit of talking to everything and anything in sight has definitely paid off.  Not only has it made me a more Understanding and compassionate person, it has helped me to better understand others, breathing or not.  Actually, because of my innate need for personification, I am here on this WordPress site with all of you, as I, too, love it when a specific photograph or a piece of writing ‘speaks to me’.  I guess, in that sense, inanimate objects can talk back afterall.  In fact, hopefully this very post about understanding speaks to you in some way.