I am a Fortunate Sponge. Hear me ROAR!

Dear So and So,

I am a Sponge, an "absorber."  Sponges are able to feel how other people feel, but not only that, they have a tendency to absorb how others feel.  Many times they can't help but absorb; the holes they have create maximum absorbancy.  I have felt overwhelmed with my "sponge-i-ness" sometimes.  I have felt like it is an "all bad" characteristic.  But being a Sponge isn't "all bad" at all.  The trick is to figure out how to control the tendency to absorb and create a protection from unwanted water.  Being a sponge can actually be a super power.      

So why am I a fortunate sponge? Is there even such a thing as an unfortunate sponge?  Let me paint a little picture for you:

One sponge.  One LARGE pile of dirty dishes.  That's unfortunate.
One sponge.  One bucket of water.  That's one heavy sponge.  How unfortunate.
One sponge.  One blazing sun.  That's one fried-to-a-crisp sponge.  How unfortunate.

These are the day to day experiences of sponges everywhere.  They are used to the point where that whatever-it's-called-outer-layer-of-dark-green-for-really-hard-to-clean-pots-and-pans falls in chunks.  They absorb so much that when you poke them just a bit, water comes squirting out all over the kitchen counter.  Left on the kitchen sink for days without a good rinsing and wringing out, a sponge molds and stinks up the kitchen.  At the other extreme, they become so dry that they can't move anymore.  Plus, some people use them to clean toilets.  Ouch.

Sometimes I fall into the typical sponge experiences like the ones I've illustrated for you so far.  Yet, I'm fortunate.  How could this be?  Let's take a look:   

One sponge.  One LARGE pile of dirty dishes.  A bit of soap.  A bit of dish soaking.  How fortunate.
One sponge.  One bucket of water.  A wringing out, a purging.  That's very fortunate.
One sponge.  One blazing sun.  One rainfall.  That's fortunate. 

After difficult sponge experiences, I end up being alright, although the situation may look very unfortunate at first.  Each sponge experience teaches me a little more about what being a sponge means and how to deal with it, and I learn how to control the sponge super power a little bit more.

Eventually, I hope I will learn to:

Be more aware of what I've absorbed (my inner state) and where it is coming from. 
Control what I absorb.
Control when I absorb.
Withstand a giant bucket of water.
Create a protective barrier, also known as healthy boundaries, or that whatever-it's-called-outer-layer-of-dark-green-for-really-hard-to-clean-pots-and-pans.

I'll get there eventually.  One sponge experience at a time.

Love,
The Fortunate Sponge