I returned to work the week of Thanksgiving. I craved to be in my routine again. And quite frankly, I was not going to let Marco screw up my work life too. I felt he had caused me enough disruption. Still, what I found upon my return to work was an altered perspective on what was “important.” I was working on an upcoming event and a publicist outside the company was expressing great displeasure about the way a writer portrayed the event. I believe he said to me, “This is a huge problem, Keri. If our name isn’t included in that story, it’s a failure. And you know, I have to put food on the table for my family.”
Huh? “How about I tell you about ‘huge problems'”, I thought. “How about you get some perspective and think before you speak?”, I thought. This sort of mindset, on my part, was a recurring theme in those early days when the experience was still raw for me. I had a general lack of sympathy for people who said such ridiculous things. Oh hell, I had zero tolerance for them. As a films publicist dealing with the Hollywood crowd, this made for a difficult transition because I often found the word “important” was applied to matters that really weren’t. Matters which had their origins in ego and narcissism and nothing genuinely “important.”
All I can say is that with time, you won’t be as offended or annoyed as much. But it’s difficult and my only advice is to remind yourself, “They know not what they speak.” Forgive them and move on. And be patient with yourself. This is all part of your healing process.
QUOTE: “I always thought that if I were popular I must be doing something wrong.” – songwriter Suzanne Vega (Women’s Wit and Wisdom; Runner’s Press)
A Fight Back Woman 