do not lick the electric fence – Things Without Arms and Without Legs

295: unresolved conflict with a sock, part 1

Posted on July 4, 2014 by liz

In October 2012 sock sat on electric fence as part of the “Do Not Lick The Electric Fence” theme I was exploring. This led to an unresolved conflict with a sock. I was going to do more with it, but it’s hard when feelings and relationships are complicated and I just couldn’t get it right. Now, two years on, one of the Things is trying to articulate how betrayed they feel about how Sock encouraged them and just let them lick the electric fence. Sometimes it takes a little time.

65: Socks

Posted on October 25, 2012 by liz

I felt a little guilty about creating this comic. More bad things for one of the Things? But they only just got over zir last shock! But I also thought, we all know the learn from your mistakes thing – and so often we’re really harsh on ourselves if we make the same mistake or a similar mistake again.

The first time ze licked the electric fence it was just a curious mistake that was shocking – sometimes objects hurt things. This second time they’ve learned something different and shocking, a social shock, not just a physical one.

But even if the mistakes were identical (and often we make the same mistakes because life is tricky and we all have our own strengths and weaknesses) ze still need hugs to recover, still worthy of love and still capable of learning.

Given fear is the mind killer, kindness is even more important to create the space for learning. So hugs to you and hugs to me and hugs to the Things.