The first video game, invented more than 35 years ago, was called “pong.” It was unsophisticated but very popular. The skill involved was judging the angle of a carom, like in shooting billiards. I think of that game when I watch passing time sometimes in our halls. If you take a look at the controlled chaos, you may well see people bouncing off of each other. Sometimes, it’s incidental contact, but other times it’s someone thinking it’s funny to knock another person off their path. It’s not.
As a person, you are entitled to your space. You have boundaries and you have every reason to expect other people to respect your boundaries.
I remember the boy in the bubble, David Vetter, whose severe immune deficiency required him to stay away from germs in a giant bubble. His very visible boundaries protected him and, in a way, the boundaries we have for ourselves allow us to feel safe and to give us the freedom to try challenging behavior.
We all deserve to feel safe. Make sure your behavior contributes to our positive feelings. As Maxwell Maltz said, “Self-image sets the boundaries of individual accomplishment.” We can accomplish as much as we feel safe in trying