Posted on Jan 29, 2026 by John W. Krysko
What to Do When You Step in “It”?
Having grandchildren provides innumerable opportunities for growth and much
amusement. It is hard to remember (all of) one’s childhood, but grandparents
have the Gift of a ”Not-quite Instant Re-play.” To a great measure you are seeing
versions of yourself unfold. Bodies play an outsized focus, even obsession on
“bodies”. How they work, and how they are the same, and how they are different.
Chief among these fascinations are the “elimination” functions. Just saying, or
hinting at “number 2” is bound to provide a set up for uproarious laughter. Rarely
does it evoke the yuckies. If they are playing and step in “it”, there is room for
laughter. Of course, part of this is that they often rely upon parents (or
grandparents) to “clean it up”. Less fun for us.
amusement. It is hard to remember (all of) one’s childhood, but grandparents
have the Gift of a ”Not-quite Instant Re-play.” To a great measure you are seeing
versions of yourself unfold. Bodies play an outsized focus, even obsession on
“bodies”. How they work, and how they are the same, and how they are different.
Chief among these fascinations are the “elimination” functions. Just saying, or
hinting at “number 2” is bound to provide a set up for uproarious laughter. Rarely
does it evoke the yuckies. If they are playing and step in “it”, there is room for
laughter. Of course, part of this is that they often rely upon parents (or
grandparents) to “clean it up”. Less fun for us.
What happens when we grow up? Pragmatically, situationally dependent, we
either try to clean “it” up on the spot or race home to wash it off. The one
difference I have noted, from experience, is that immediate “oh **it”! Rarely is a
guffaw the first reaction. Most often it devolves into accusatory modes, even
rants. “Who left this”? Translation…whom do I blame?
Last week’s blog referred to that Chinese proverb that addresses issues of
blaming, with the ultimately enlightened response being there is no one to blame.
So, the next time this unfortunate incident occurs to you (or your family), take a
moment Not to blame. “It” is simply there. The sooner you own that idea, the
happier you will be. Regardless the emotion, it will have to be cleaned up.
Relatively easy lesson, relatively easy implementation, easy process.
Now how about the other “excrement”, of emotional and mental substance? This
is always more challenging. How many times have you been innocently walking
along your Path, and some lug head, some jerk vents some negative emotion at
you, or some driver behind you is offended that you are only going 8 mph over
the speed limit and zooms around you giving you the universal Finger of
Displeasure. Are not those forms of “excrement”? They already had negative
ideas and unresolved feelings, and they are releasing them…at you.
either try to clean “it” up on the spot or race home to wash it off. The one
difference I have noted, from experience, is that immediate “oh **it”! Rarely is a
guffaw the first reaction. Most often it devolves into accusatory modes, even
rants. “Who left this”? Translation…whom do I blame?
Last week’s blog referred to that Chinese proverb that addresses issues of
blaming, with the ultimately enlightened response being there is no one to blame.
So, the next time this unfortunate incident occurs to you (or your family), take a
moment Not to blame. “It” is simply there. The sooner you own that idea, the
happier you will be. Regardless the emotion, it will have to be cleaned up.
Relatively easy lesson, relatively easy implementation, easy process.
Now how about the other “excrement”, of emotional and mental substance? This
is always more challenging. How many times have you been innocently walking
along your Path, and some lug head, some jerk vents some negative emotion at
you, or some driver behind you is offended that you are only going 8 mph over
the speed limit and zooms around you giving you the universal Finger of
Displeasure. Are not those forms of “excrement”? They already had negative
ideas and unresolved feelings, and they are releasing them…at you.
The secret with dealing with other people’s **it is too deal with one’s own. If you
do not have any unresolved feelings at the moment then you need not react to
theirs. If you do, their stuff becomes your stuff. There is that old street maxim and
question: “So, your **it doesn’t stink?” Of course it does, but you are simply
unaware of it.
In discussing this with Diane Pearl, an artist friend living in Mexico, she asked
another question. “When the **it hits the fan, what do You do?” Her response was
that if you don’t clean it up it will likely happen again. Further, by cleaning it up,
you know what to do when it DOES happen again. Wise sentiments. The focus is
that when unplanned, unliked situations arise, our first choice is “Are we going to
clean it up?” No blame. Walking away does not do anything, and we really don’t
have the skills (or stomach) the next time something “bad” happens. Avoidance is
not necessarily the best strategy, as Life constantly throws us curve balls.
Not living in a perfect world, we will sooner or later step into a situation that
stinks. Now what? This is a perfect time to take stock, and to be honest. If
something negative comes up, you need not go into denial or into reactivity. The
third option is to choose Acceptance and then engage in the Holy process of
Letting Go. This allows a Real solution to obtain in our consciousness. What does
this third option look like?
The first step is to find a place of relative peace and non-judgmentalness inside. If
we do find ourselves reacting, take a breath. Allow, if possible, a smile to come
into our awareness. Easy if it dog poo, perhaps less so when that irate driver flips
us off. But the principal is the same…and so is the result. The outer hasn’t
changed, but you have. You are now in a much better position to deal with things,
perhaps even to make a difference for someone else. We are all human. Who has
not reacted negatively when we don’t get what we want, or maybe even asserted
our ego nature to someone else with a middle finger mudra?
The second stage is Forgiveness. Forgiving others makes it easier to forgive
ourselves AND vice versa. Practicing forgiveness often enough does eventually
lead us to that place of “There-is-Nothing-Truly -to-Forgive….just Ignorance. The
errant dog walker leaving their canine’s mess for us…the angry driver who is
angry at the world and themselves. All dog piles of Ignorance. Ignorance then
theirs. If you do, their stuff becomes your stuff. There is that old street maxim and
question: “So, your **it doesn’t stink?” Of course it does, but you are simply
unaware of it.
In discussing this with Diane Pearl, an artist friend living in Mexico, she asked
another question. “When the **it hits the fan, what do You do?” Her response was
that if you don’t clean it up it will likely happen again. Further, by cleaning it up,
you know what to do when it DOES happen again. Wise sentiments. The focus is
that when unplanned, unliked situations arise, our first choice is “Are we going to
clean it up?” No blame. Walking away does not do anything, and we really don’t
have the skills (or stomach) the next time something “bad” happens. Avoidance is
not necessarily the best strategy, as Life constantly throws us curve balls.
Not living in a perfect world, we will sooner or later step into a situation that
stinks. Now what? This is a perfect time to take stock, and to be honest. If
something negative comes up, you need not go into denial or into reactivity. The
third option is to choose Acceptance and then engage in the Holy process of
Letting Go. This allows a Real solution to obtain in our consciousness. What does
this third option look like?
The first step is to find a place of relative peace and non-judgmentalness inside. If
we do find ourselves reacting, take a breath. Allow, if possible, a smile to come
into our awareness. Easy if it dog poo, perhaps less so when that irate driver flips
us off. But the principal is the same…and so is the result. The outer hasn’t
changed, but you have. You are now in a much better position to deal with things,
perhaps even to make a difference for someone else. We are all human. Who has
not reacted negatively when we don’t get what we want, or maybe even asserted
our ego nature to someone else with a middle finger mudra?
The second stage is Forgiveness. Forgiving others makes it easier to forgive
ourselves AND vice versa. Practicing forgiveness often enough does eventually
lead us to that place of “There-is-Nothing-Truly -to-Forgive….just Ignorance. The
errant dog walker leaving their canine’s mess for us…the angry driver who is
angry at the world and themselves. All dog piles of Ignorance. Ignorance then
becomes easy to forgive as it is essentially Nothing. I have practiced this with
finger-wielding motorists. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not, for them.
For me, it always does.
The final stage is acceptance, and that even Ignorance will someday disappear.
My choice is to let my Ignorance go…Now. When I can truly embrace my own
humanity, my own side steps out of bounds, then I can smile. It was just
Ignorance. And then I can allow Forgiveness to Descend upon me as the rains
from Heaven. Finally, when things do not go my way, I can smile and say: “Holy
Shit!”
We are living in extremely Unconscious, unloving times, with so many acting out
of Ignorance. Take a breath, send a prayer of Forgiveness and Smile. I guarantee
the Universe will soon Smile back.
For me, it always does.
The final stage is acceptance, and that even Ignorance will someday disappear.
My choice is to let my Ignorance go…Now. When I can truly embrace my own
humanity, my own side steps out of bounds, then I can smile. It was just
Ignorance. And then I can allow Forgiveness to Descend upon me as the rains
from Heaven. Finally, when things do not go my way, I can smile and say: “Holy
Shit!”
We are living in extremely Unconscious, unloving times, with so many acting out
of Ignorance. Take a breath, send a prayer of Forgiveness and Smile. I guarantee
the Universe will soon Smile back.
Love, John 🙏
