This and that is a story. A story we make up, mostly about ourselves. A story we tell about ourselves, mostly TO ourselves.

If I do this, I’ll get that.
If I do that, I’ll get this.
If I do this, I won’t get that.
If I do that, I won’t get this.

Or told in reverse …

If I don’t do this, I’ll get that.
If I don’t do that, I’ll get this.
If I don’t do this, I won’t get that.
If I don’t do that, I won’t get this.

Same story, about you …

If you do this, you’ll get that.
If you do that, you’ll get this.
If you don’t do this, you’ll get that.
If you don’t do that, you’ll get this.
If you do this, you won’t get that.
If you do that, you won’t get this.
If you don’t do this, you won’t get that.
If you don’t do that, you won’t get this.

Or told about me and you …

If I do this, you’ll get that.
If I do that, you’ll get this.
If I don’t do this, you’ll get that.
If I don’t do that, you’ll get this.
If I do this, you won’t get that.
If I do that, you won’t get this.
If I don’t do this, you won’t get that.
If I don’t do that, you won’t get this.

Same story, about you and me …

If you do this, I’ll get that.
If you do that, I’ll get this.
If you don’t do this, I’ll get that.
If you don’t do that, I’ll get this.
If you do this, I won’t get that.
If you do that, I won’t get this.
If you don’t do this, I won’t get that.
If you don’t do that, I won’t get this.

Same story, looking back … when I did this, I got that.
Same story, about us … if we do this, we’ll get that.
Same story, about us looking back … when we did this, we got that.

And we’re just getting started with the number of combinations and possibilities.

With all of these thisses and thats, it’s easy to forget who’s really making up the story.