So, Keith and I are coming home and changing before heading out again, in a whirlwind of activities that just doesn’t seem to die down. Something (some little thing, really… so little I don’t recall exactly what it was) that Keith did wasn’t the way that I “need” it to be done. I said, “Honey, I only have a few ‘things.’ Could you please try to help me with those?”

He stopped and stared at me, shocked. Then he started laughing. Howling.

“YOU? You only have a FEW ‘things’? YOU? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

I had to look HARD at him for a few seconds, so that he would realize I wasn’t joking. Then I asked, “Have you ever known someone with a clinical diagnosis for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?”

“No. I haven’t.”

“Okay,” I continued. “Then could you please try to understand how very high-functioning I am compared to most people with OCD. And, in order to keep me high-functioning — when there are ‘things’ that I have made you aware of that you can do to keep me from going nuts, just by taking a little extra step to make sure those ‘things’ are done a certain way — could you please choose to do those things?”

Blank stare.

Then a hug.

So, either he gets it or he was doing the, “Yes, dear,” thing that partners so often do for one another. Either way, I found it interesting that Keith has never encountered another person with OCD in his life. I’ve known several. But maybe it’s just because we sort of “spot” each other. We recognize the behaviors, the quirks, the little things we do to try and hide those things… and the little physically-evident coping mechanisms we walk around with to let us live with hiding so much of what we WOULD do, were it all more socially acceptable.

*sigh*

This really is a lighthearted post, for the most part. Truly! I just enjoyed the little exchange with Keith the other day and actually sort of gave myself a little pat on the back for being so very high-functioning. It certainly helps that I live in a part of the world (and work in an industry) in which quirks are considered creativity and dysfunction is a part of brilliance.

A favorite quote, from Steven Sodeberg, is, “I have confused my personality quirks with standards.” Man, do I get that.

Other favorite quotes that I have scribbled in the same place and will now put here in my Blog, mainly b/c that’s a very OCD thing to do: get all of the scraps of paper thrown out b/c there’s now ONE PLACE for the quotes I’ve been transferring to different scraps of paper for nearly a year until I could determine what to do with them; are…

“Impossible is an opinion.” (from that Nike ad on the side of a building down the street)

and

“Charisma comes from public self-acceptance.” (from… of all places… America’s Next Top Model — one of the coaches had used that definition and that really stands out for me).

*sigh*

I’m having a good life. Truly.