~Clarifying the negative

After a conversation, last night, I started thinking about what I mean when I say certain things; specifically, things which involve the use of the word "can't".

"I can't" - a) momentary "can't" as in, "I can't lift 3,000 pounds" with my pinky." b) long term "can't" as in, "I can't jump off the Empire State building."

a = At the moment, I can't. b = at the moment, I can, but it will lead me to a dangerous place.

To clarify "I won't" - "I won't" is definitive. There's one meaning. "Won't" = will not, whether or not I can.

There's also "I don't feel like". That means I can, but won't unless my feeling changes.


It's rare I don't do things because I don't feel like it, but it is occasionally the case. Most things I don't want to do though, I push myself to do.

There are a few things I won't do, but they often change. I can be stubborn, but I often give in.

There are many things I can't do. Many of those things, like lifting 3,000 lbs with my pinky, are things that most other people can't do either, but there are also things I can't do that most other people can.

How do I measure what I can or can't do? I try. If I find that I can't, and I've tried repeatedly, I can't, and I don't give up easily.

I have two jobs. Don't kill myself. Don't kill anyone else. If something will cause or lead me to not being able to do my jobs, I won't do those things. I will say I can't do those things, because by my definition (definition b), I can't.

To define "I can't do my laundry today.":

I can put the clothes into the washer, put the quarters in, and do the laundry. Before, after or during this process the probability of my slicing myself to ribbons or blacking out entirely is 95%. To me, this translates more into "can't" than "won't", so I say, "I can't do my laundry today."

The reason why I'm on disability, is because I have limitations that most other people in society do not have. The reason why I'm not locked up, in the gutter, or dead is because I've spent 34 years learning what those limitations are, often the hard way, and I respect those limitations. I know how far I can push myself. I know where the line is. I push myself as close to the line as I can get on a daily basis. In the past, I pushed myself over the line repeatedly. This was not good. Pushing myself over the line is not doing my jobs. Going over the line will kill or hurt me, or kill or hurt someone else. I simply WON'T do that, if it is in my power not to. I can do my jobs. If I get to the point where I can't, I can and will ask for help from those in society whose job it is to help me. This is called "taking care of myself".

I cannot do what I cannot do. I won't do what I won't do. I'll constantly do things I don't feel like doing.

I will always walk the line.