The yawning, glitchy black hole

Black holes have a gravitational acceleration so strong, that they destroy everything that falls into them.

Whether it’s the remnants of giant stars, electromagnetic radiation, or the clouds of interstellar dust and gas, nothing makes it out of a black hole alive.

Hawking proved that even if someone did jump into a black hole, and their mass energy was returned to our universe, it would be in a mangled form unrecognizable to their current state.

In short, black holes, not good.

This phenomenon of physics is complex and dense, but it does relate to the interpersonal world in a simple and meaningful way.

Because there are some individuals who are emotional black holes. Their critical, cynical and negative attitudes destroy any and all good feelings and positive energy as soon as it enters their orbit.

My first marketing manager was like this. Whatever idea, project or opportunity somebody brought to the table, she would somehow find a way to respond in a manner that sucked all the sunlight right out of the room.

Despite my level of enthusiasm or motivation around a new idea or project, after discussing it with her, it would almost certainly be lower. She was a black hole if there ever was one. Even if some of the matter sucked deep into her orbit trickled out over time, it just wasn’t the same anymore.

Part of me felt sad every time we interacted. I wondered what kind of trauma she must’ve endured as a child to act this way as an adult, and if she was still hurting today.

Another part me felt mad every time we interacted. I thought to myself, what the fuck, lady? Must you negatively energize everything people say? Five minutes ago, we were actually feeling good about ourselves.

Another part of me felt helpless every time we interacted. Thinking to myself, well, so much for my brilliant idea. Old black hole over here has sucked the sunlight out of the room once again.

But another part of me felt inspired every time we interacted. That’s it, I am going to double down on my incorrigible optimism in retaliation, and my love will wear her down eventually.

What’s your response to human black holes? How do you experience yourself when you interact with them?

If you’re a relentlessly positive person like myself, the gravitational pull of these individuals can leave you feeling helpless. When you catch a glimpse of the light from outside their orbit, you just want to rush for it to get the fix of energy you need.

It sucks. I don’t really have a solution here, it just feels cleansing to talk about my experience of black holes.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you navigate people whose impenetrable shrouds keeps out the positive?