It may be that a person who suffers from a poor self-concept, or even from an "alleged" poor self-concept, should not expose himself or herself to the risk of gaining an even poorer self-concept (if that is indeed a "gain") by opening, then reading, the fortune inside the fortune cookie. This scenario is precisely what happened to me just a few weeks ago after what I thought was a superb Chinese dinner. After everyone had finished eating, we all took turns opening our fortune cookies. I went last, not that I have a poor self-concept or anything; I just thought that the others would find better fortunes than mine. And, in retrospect, that is what happened.
After we finished the lovely dinner, everyone took turns snapping open the sweet, golden cookies and revealing his or her fortune to the rest, each future prize or word of wisdom better than the one before. Then it was my turn. I snapped my delicious little treat in half, pulled the white slip of paper out of one half of the cookie, and gazed at my destiny. Was I about to meet a famous person? Was a free million bucks coming my way? Was I given some word of great wisdom? No...my fortune was something less spectacular, but more to the point. "You constantly struggle for self improvement..." Wasn't that a great message, very psychic and apropo on the part of the fortune cookie company? Unfortunately that was not the end of the message. Would that it had been!
As I studied my message, I realized that maybe I did suffer from a poor self-concept. For the message in its entirety read: You constantly struggle for self improvement - and it shows. The Italics are mine. Why could I not have received one of those regular GREAT fortunes, which of course never comes true? I mean, at least those are fun things. But no, I struggle for self improvement....AND IT SHOWS! Now what does that mean, anyway?! And how did they KNOW? Think about it! Someone, or several someones, all the way to China know that I (MIGHT!!!!) have a poor self-concept. AND IT SHOWS!!! Thanks a lot, Beijing! I mean, I constantly struggle for self improvement...and it shows??
While I was still contemplating the true implications of the profound statement written on that little piece of white paper, my lovely spouse said, "Well, you DO struggle for self improvement, and it DOES show!" The table full of my loved ones broke into riotous laughter. Of course I (who POSSIBLY suffers from a poor self-concept) immediately took a tae kwon do-like posture of self-defense! As I heard mumbling around the table, pertaining to my (perceived) poor self-concept , I realized that someone like myself, a kind, hardworking soul (who possibly suffers from a poor self-concept) cannot get a break, it seems. I mean, I Cant Even Get A Break From A Chinese Fortune Cookie!!
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