Of Strippers and Shrinks

Vampires of the night she told me… Feeding upon the money and insecurity of those wanting to be seduced by something they cannot posses. She was a leggy, newly brunette with dark seduction throughout her aura. Piercings and tattoos were subtle and an admitted addiction; her companion, a small firecracker of sensuality with flashing eyes and come-hither smile sat near my other side.… Sex, well people are wrong... It is not overrated….

Vampires feeding or vulnerability lured to perform by the need to pay ones bills with a dash of exhibitionism thrown in? I tend to believe it is more about vulnerability, strength, and sexuality; at least with these two Vixens Of The Night.

The Naked Truth about Vulnerability… Yes, we all have a little Stripper and Shrink in all of us. Besides, we are not all that different. Each deals with the Naked Vulnerability of their profession and the primary success of their focus is founded in Relationships and the ability to connect with their Cliental.

Each deals with the façade of society and expectations society places upon the interactions… Each deals within the core of human vulnerability and each has to focus on others and not themselves if they are going to rise to the top of their chosen or given profession. Each are often judged, not by who they are, but often in what they do. Each are grounded in a ‘no touch” rule that not only protects them but the individuals they interact with, forcing the interaction to focus on the here and now and not in the what was or what could be’s.

Opening one’s self to the extent of being naked to the world is often a very frightening place. To shed the protective clothing of the day and walk confidently into the night is no easy task. To have the eyes of the immediate world on you, assessing your vulnerabilities, takes courage and a resolve that is not always easily accomplished. It is something not many do and which many pass judgment.

To be vulnerable is to have strength in ways so powerful many fear it… However, when once experienced, gives one a sense of control that can be magical…. A journey of “naked vulnerability” is in itself a cloak of protection… Be it in the “office” of a Shrink, the “stage” of a Stripper or the confines of your own everyday world. We all have a “pole” with which we dance. A journey which draws judgment and expectations to others while being about the ability to sustain the judgment of others.

Maybe there is a little Stripper and Shrink in all of us. Maybe it is what helps us be compassionate and a little edgy at the same time… Maybe it’s the allure of attraction, the potential excitement which gives us the courage to step onto the stage of life and expose our vulnerabilities with the passion and sensuality that life deserves... Maybe it makes us honest; not only to ourselves but also to the world in which we interact.

So, the next time you find yourself face to face with a “Stripper” or a “Shrink”. Who are you going to pull a chair next to...? And when you are comfortable, your heart starts its regular rhythm again, maybe, just maybe the eyes looking back at you will be yours…

As one “friend” once told me, “It’s the eyes. They get me every time. It’s here I find truth.”

Well, it’s time for this Reservation Recluse to assess his own vulnerabilities and as usual, it’s a choice. I enjoy making new friends and enjoy the discussion of “possibilities”. I choose the risk of potential rather than the safety of what was. So in the world of Strippers and Shrinks, who are you going to look in the eye? Maybe your vulnerability is also your strength and maybe there is a little “Vampire” in all of us.

Therefore, my long legged friend, maybe you were “right” after all. Let me know when it’s time to feed. We all have choices to make… Until then, I have made mine. Isn’t it time to make yours?