Glass House

Borders are boundaries. We have boundary lines on our properties, usually marked by fences, hedges or some such visually apt evidence. They say “this is my side and that is yours...let’s stay where we belong.” We have less visible boundaries in our hearts and minds, no less important for being invisible. Sometimes after spending time with a person whose behavior we find distasteful we might say, “she crossed the line.” The line to which we refer is our personal, invisible and unpredictable boundary between what we are willing to accomodate and what we will not. There are many people who seem to have no knowledge of these border/boundaries within themselves or others. Commonly these are children or very young adults. When older adults are clueless on this issue they are sometimes seen as damaged but more often perceived of as pests or annoyances. They are emotionally impaired in a way that prevents then from identifying the boundary line in conversation or behavior before they are about to stumble across it.