A discerning reader inquired as to why there was only one aphorism, since the topic merited a tag. So I looked back through the list I kept in retreat and found a few more that might be of use in the world at large. Today’s featured aphorism, which I have thoroughly tested yet often forget:

~The best way to deal with any issue: write a note and tear it up the next day.~

Of course, this is a modus operandi particularly well-suited to retreat, where most of the day is spent in silence and the vast majority of communication is by note.

Nor is there anything new here. The cooling-off period (count to ten, take a deep breath, walk away, sleep on it, etc.) is a classic technique for short-circuiting the emotionally charged, ill-considered reactive response–so maybe the functional idea here is just to give it a day when possible (saves paper, too!). I can testify that it works in three-year retreat; I, for one, tore up many more notes than I delivered.

Which is not to say there are no situations that require an actual response. However, in my personal experience, unless it’s an emergency, waiting until the next day (note or not) is often a good way to sort out whether this is one of them.

Now, if I can just remember my own aphorism next time I need it.

The other reason there was only one aphorism is that I haven’t finished tagging all my existing posts yet. But in case anyone is wondering, I don’t expect to find any more wild boars. And as for Mr. Pig, well, no spoilers here.