When I See Fragile Things

(Handy Reference Post)

"When I see fragile things, helpless things, broken things

I see the familiar

I was little, I was weak, I was perfect too

Now I'm a broken mirror."

~"Eight" by Sleeping At Last

I never realized that my affinity for “cute things” was part of being an Eight.

I know that’s not exactly what these lines are referring to, but it is common for Eights to have a fixation with things that remind them of childhood innocence. Those of you who know me well know that I still sleep with my childhood stuffed animals (known as “bed friends”). While we were dating, Gabe once casually asked, “If we were to get married one day, would I be sleeping with your bed friends?”

I looked at him as if he’d asked if I planned to continue needing food to survive. “Yes?”

Gabe nodded. “Just checking.”

I love cute things. I guess you could say that cute things are one of my more light-hearted Achilles heels.

However, these lines really refer to the Eights’ drive to protect the innocent and vulnerable—which is NOT the same thing as “the weak.” Innocence and vulnerability are states of reality; weakness is something that people choose. It’s like a character flaw. A puppy or a toddler is innocent and vulnerable. A man who refuses to stand up to his overbearing wife is weak. Eights will go unusually above and beyond to protect the former, but may take delight in tormenting the latter.

According to Enneagram philosophy, this is because Eights remember being taken advantage of while they were weak and vulnerable, and wish someone had taken up their cause. The same thing is not going to happen to something or someone else on an Eight’s watch.

I never noticed this about myself until the Enneagram, but once I thought to pay attention to it, I noticed it more often than I would’ve guessed. I do feel a need in my body to intervene when I see wrong or sad things happening to those who I see as vulnerable.

Especially if they are cute.

~Stephanie