Side-Effects of Os.me

Reading posts on os.me have their own side effects. You may inhale large doses of compassion without your knowledge. You might catch the gratitude bug. You may feel inspired to act and perform acts of kindness. The side effects are many. This post aims to issue a statutory warning by describing some side-effects that I personally experienced. Now, these side-effects are just a sampling – there are several other side-effects that may ensue! 

1. You may go ahead and right some wrongs.

   One of my earliest bridge partners was one of my all time favorite partners. I was a teenager when I played with him, but he treated me as an equal, whereas most of the other people I played with (all of them were adults, I was the only kid playing bridge in town) talked down to me because I was a kid. The very last time we played together in 2008, I was going through a rough time. I was generally irritable, and not pleasant company, though not blatantly mean (or so I like to think – One observation I’ve made is we tend to brush aside our shortcomings and highlight others’ shortcomings, labeling their peccadillos as transgressions). Since that was the last occasion where we got to spend a lot of time together, this was the taste that lingered when we met briefly again in 2013, and ran into each other in 2018.

   I wrote an email to this person – first acknowledging the way he treated me with respect when nobody else did – and then explaining that while I was going through a rough time we last met, that was no reason for me to have been irritable, and apologized. He wrote back a glowing reply, and I could see that he was happy to have received my email.

   More importantly, there is no longer a lingering tension in our relationship – my email has cleared it.

   And this, most certainly, is the result of repeatedly reading os.me articles. 

2. You may go and thank people for what they have done for you.

   I have outlined several instances in my articles where people have helped me. I reached out to some of them, acknowledged their contribution, and thanked them for it. Most of them did not expect to hear from me, and said that they were happy to receive the email.

   This too, is a direct side-effect of reading os.me articles. 

3. You may choose to not sweat the small stuff.

   Though I’ve read Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff repeatedly, and even written about it, my knee-jerk reactions have invariably gotten the better of me. Once, recently, I was waiting to make a left turn. A car was blocking my way. I honked a couple of times, and waited for the car. The driver got down, and angrily told me to back up, so that he could back up in turn, after which I could pass him and go. Usually, I would have been “rightfully” indignant, and spat back in anger. This time, I was able to be objective, and saw that if I did as per his request, I could proceed along in my journey. And I did so. The best part is, I didn’t feel bad or angry at his outburst.

   What are you doing to me, os.me?

Now, dear reader, studies have not been performed to prove what results ensue when os.me posts are read along with the usage of Black Lotus app. Reading the virtues performed plus meditating regularly may result in your calmer countenance coming to the forefront and inculcating virtues into your entire being. Throw RAKs into the mix, and all bets are off – you might well go and make a difference! Or – gasp – you may make a huge difference! You may become a gentler person that you never signed up for! 

I’ve done my duty in issuing the statutory warning – now what you do is up to you! Wait! I hear you eschewing my warning and reading that os.me article right after you’ve finished your Black Lotus meditation! And you’re about to write a glowing comment, brightening the author’s day! Oh well, I tried!