Anxiety is that root. It is the seed from which our topical fixations and “overly sensitive,” routine-driven, black/white, obsessive behaviors arise. We are trying to catch the rain. We are trying to create predictable order in a chaotic, often random world . . . by asking a million questions, by challenging exceptions to rules, by scripting dialogue we know was funny (once) or dictating play. It’s not that we want to be unlikable or difficult or dominate the conversation with topics you don’t enjoy. We just want to feel secure, safe—and to be able to stop the endless waiting for unwelcome
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