Intelligent Disobedience (How to be a happy contrarian)

/ Swooning Grace

For many years I drove a portion of the Pacific Coast Highway every evening on my way home, and would regularly come upon scenes matching the opening photo. I felt very blessed, of course, and in my imagination, dark clouds partially obscuring the glory of the sun were a metaphor. It symbolized, for me, that the sun is always shining, somewhere, even if hidden temporarily by shadows. I can trust that the darkest and most oppressive cloud may tease the sun and hide its healing rays, but never for long.

Never for long.

My family experienced a flurry of shadowy intrusions recently – a close relative was hospitalized with a serious heart issue and I was too far away to lend on-site support.  Prior to hospitalization, family members had urged the relative to go to the doctor but were put off.  It began as a case of food poisoning that lingered way too long leading us to think it might be the stomach flu or virus that needed to run its course. Yet, after almost 3 weeks, the relative did not get better; in fact this person continued to get worse to the point of becoming short of breath.

Our family decided to exert a bit of robust intelligent disobedience (we were not going to be rebuffed again). From 508 miles away, I made a call and gently but firmly stated that a doctor visit would not hurt at this point. I was met this time, thank goodness, with a weakly uttered “okay”. The primary care physician took an EKG and immediately sent the reluctant patient to the ER where a hospital stay of 5 days was required.  Fluid was gathering around the lungs and the heart rate was a dangerous 150. Had the relative not gone into the hospital, a major heart attack or stroke would have been the next outcome since the diagnosis was a serious atrial fibrillation that was causing shortness of breath. The heart was working too hard.

The worst of thoughts and worries had blurred out the light of my mind as black clouds cover a glorious sun, and I thought my relative was going to die.  However, the outcome was a recovered patient and very relieved family members and friends. Phew, that bullet was dodged and life would go forward!

The patient’s daughter, who had spent many hours in the hospital, had a trip planned to Hawaii.  I had purchased a last minute airline ticket to rush back to the Bay Area in order to relieve family and fill in where I could.  I told the daughter to please proceed with the vacation and she did.   Here are the deserved gifts that awaited her:

The term intelligent disobedience came into my purview when I attended a talk at a woman’s club in Palm Desert. The speaker was a nurse who had been diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, an incurable eye condition where chronic retinal degeneration occurs and there is progressive and severe loss of the visual field.  One only sees what is in front of them in a narrow range – it is like having tunnel vision:

The speaker had participated in intensive training with a personal guide dog and the two of them worked, lived and ate together 24 hours a day for two straight weeks.  During the talk that centered around the “secrets of guide dogs”, the woman mentioned a term I had not heard before but immediately was drawn to: intelligent disobedience.  She gave an example: should she walk down a street and feel 99.9% confident that it’s safe to enter the cross walk but her guide dog freezes and won’t let her move another inch, it may be due to the fact that the faithful companion sees a danger coming.  It could be a vehicle running a red light or speeding around a corner.

The guide dog has deliberately ignored commands and exerted intelligent disobedience.

I embraced that term right away as one would an old, trustworthy friend. I felt it described my life these days as I discard, reject and rebel against things that cause me undue angst, stress, or anxiety. I disobey anyone or anything that encourages division, discord and divide and conquer strategies. I practice detachment for my own well being and sense of inner peace. This makes me a happy contrarian… I say no to many things, but yes to the things that count.

“I am the keeper of my own mood and attitude; I don’t have to be victim. I am powerless over other people, but I can adjust my part in it. I can choose happiness   and keep my peace. Today, I will choose to keep my peace.”   (Steve R, The Alanon Forum Magazine, May 2019)

It’s interesting how that term “intelligent disobedience” captured my imagination. I nursed the thought for a month that it deserved a blog and here I am, better late than never.  I came across another example of it.  My 12-year-old grandson Luke recently chose to modify a school assignment. He was asked to identify two famous people that he would have as parents if he could.  A classmate picked Taylor Swift and a NBA basketball star (I cringed when I heard this).

My independent and spirited grandson dismissed the premise of the assignment, and said he would pick his own parents because they believed in him and loved him unconditionally; famous parents would be off on tour constantly or doing the things that keep them in the limelight. Why would Luke want famous parents when his own parents are noble and worthy individuals themselves? This incident sparked discussion between Luke’s father and me about the sickness of celebrity culture and also the subtle psychological message this school assignment was giving: your parents aren’t good enough; the famous are worthy of our day dreams, hopes and wishes. 

We’re happy contrarians – we reject external distractions that demand we pay attention to chaos in order to focus on what’s real and important: family and the health of our souls.  Just this morning I had a phone conversation with my 88 year old Mother who was upset over a news story.  I said “Mom, let not your heart be troubled. Strengthen your connection to God.”  She agreed and added, “I send up prayers all the time to my late husband Ron and my beloved Grandma Grace.”  That’s the spirit, Mom, that’s the spirit.

My son Ryan and I also talked about the pressure there is on families to spend extravagant amounts of money on amusement parks and such; instead he and his wife take the family to the mountains where bike riding, hiking, camp fires and fishing don’t cost an arm and a leg.

He engages in intelligent disobedience against glitzy trends and says the most beautiful spots on earth do not require breaking the bank for admission tickets.  Often, breathtaking natural beauty, which Ryan calls God’s amusement park, is available for enjoyment and exploration in our own towns and states.  Here is where a happy contrarian likes to hang out… it soothes their ruffled feathers!

I’ve simply shared my experience, strength and hope with you today, and what works for me when it comes to maintaining sanity and serenity; of course, what works for me may not work for you.

To maintain sanity and serenity, there are two go-to prescriptions for happy contrarians that I’ve been following of late.  They are:

1  I don’t have to go to every fight I’m invited to.

2  Do I need to be right or do I want to be happy.

I’m careful about my choices and why not?  I’m 65 years old and I want this late phase of my life to be one centered on peaceful existence, within and without.  Is it possible every single day?  No.  Life isn’t perfect; my responses and attitudes are not perfect every day, but I do the best a happy contrarian can do,  and for now, that’s enough.

On good days, golden light breaks through the shadows and brings with it clarity and luminescence to brighten the mind and lighten the heart, and I find myself, gratefully, absorbed in deep peace and contentment. 

Aah, it feels good to be a happy contrarian who exerts intelligent disobedience when it is called for!

Love,

S.G.

21 thoughts on “Intelligent Disobedience (How to be a happy contrarian)”

  1. Your May blog was worth waiting for … so nicely expressed. Thank you for a few lines of “food for thought” and beautiful pictures, and I’m glad your relative is on the mend.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Great! So my intuition was correct in that I should write about that talk. I seriously thought about it for a month and how I would do it and tie in other themes. And viola it happened. Thank you for reading dear Meg!

      ❤️
      Mom

      Like

      Reply

  4. I am usually a happy contrarian And very proud of it . Thanks for sharing positivity we all need more and more everyday
    It was great getting to know you I hope you come to visit in Brazil I know you will love it just tell me when
    Love you 😘 healing light always 🙌🏽🌷💋

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • You will be so missed. I am so honored to have practiced yoga with you . Sorry I missed your going away party, but you will always have a special place in my heart.

      I’m so glad you are a happy contrarian – I’m not alone!

      Much love
      S.G.

      Like

      Reply

  5. Hi Susan, A wonderful, thought-provoking post. “Say no to many things, but yes to the things that count.” I should know this, yet I needed to hear this right now. I also had goosebumps when I read your sentence “the guide dog has deliberately ignored commands,” explaining the term, Intelligent Disobedience. The photos are breathtaking and truly depict how “the sun is always shining.” The story about your grandson brought tears to my eyes. He gets it, like his grandmother. Your posts are beautifully written, rich with content and evoke emotion. Your family is fortunate to have you in their lives. I am saving this post for when I need a pick me up dealing with life’s challenges:) Erica

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Dear E/E,

      You are so kind! I’m saving your comment for when I need a pick me up. 😊 I was so hoping I wouldn’t come across as too contrarian and your comment tells me that I perhaps struck a right balance😄

      You are very kind and it is so appreciated. Modern life is very challenging and we can use all the kindness we can get.

      Bless you!
      ❤️,
      S.G.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  7. I love the term “intelligent disobedience”, Susan! You were wise to practice it with your family member with the heart issue. You probably saved his life! You are so kind and generous to rush back to take his daughter’s place so that she could go on her planned trip to Hawaii.

    I think more of us should practice intelligent disobedience. My late mother was very good at it, especially later in her life.

    Another thought-provoking and interesting post, Susan!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • No doubt I would have loved your Mother. The relative (“she”) is doing very well, but mostly because her family decided to be contrarians (going against the relative’s wishes) and it’s a good thing they did. It saved her life. It’s so tempting to just go along and don’t stir the waters because that keeps us in our comfort zone. It doesn’t always feel good to get down and dirty and take chances, but more often than not, that is exactly what we need to do.

      I hope this post helps someone to think twice about merely going along, and that it can be good to disobey! 🙂

      I so appreciate your comment!

      Love,
      S.G.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    • Thank you, Ian. Those photos were taken mostly in our own coastal hometown except for one stock photo and one photo taken in Tahoe when we were there in October 2018.

      thank you for reading and commenting. I’m so appreciative.

      Love,
      Mom

      Like

      Reply

  9. I agree with what you’ve written here. I’ve never heard the term intelligent disobedience before but I like it. It sums up my approach to life, having learned to ask myself: do you want to be right or do you want to be happy? Occasionally I want to be right, but for the most part I go with happy. I may not be doing what other people expect of me, but I am able to disobey, intelligently.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • I love this, Ally!
      Your comment perked me up – I woke up on wrong side of bed ha ha. I couldn’t sleep last night and I have a new alarm clock that I can’t turn off. I wanted to turn it off in the middle of the night but I couldn’t. I didn’t have the energy to reach down and pull the plug from the wall Ha ha. Then it woke me up from a deep deep slumber at 5:30 AM . I haven’t felt right since, but I am trying to make this an awesome day . And I WILL succeed hee hee. It’s all about attitude.

      Love
      S.G.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  10. Happy contrarian, intelligent disobedience, how I loved these thoughts. However, I would add that those regularly in touch with their higher selves (like you, Sue!) are easier to trust their gut reactions. I’ve often thought of myself as a pipe, a channel, and I have to keep it clean so I can sense healing in the universe. Not easy, but when I need to trust my intuition for intelligent disobedience, then it comes through more strongly. Your posts are always uplifting, thought provoking, and calming to me. Thank you.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Dear Suzette,
      I love your idea of cleansing the doors of perception to be a clearer channel for undiluted intuition! That is so important and I think negative self talk is directly proportionate to muddying the intuitive waters.

      Of course I don’t wish to act out of haste, but the more we hone these intuitive skills, then the better we are in confidently making our decisions to opt out, say no, and do what is best for our own souls.

      I love your thoughts and am deeply grateful you stopped by to offer them. You have inspired me many times over; if I have given some small thing in return that is uplifting or calming, then that gives me a big lift!

      Love,
      S.G.

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment