The Beauty of Dialgue

A few weeks ago my work assignment was in Chicago.  I flew in on a beautiful fall day... where the skies were clear... and the temperature was in the 80s!  Consider that a very unusual fall day!  It wasn't what I expected!  And I heard from others how rare a day it was.

After ride-sharing to my hotel and unpacking, I made my way down to Lakeshore Trail so that I could see the downtown skyline from the lake front.  What a glorious view!  From a distance I could see the human constructs of buildings, monuments, and parks.  Behind me I could see the expanse of Lake Michigan -- clear, clean, and calm.

I wondered about the balance we create each day between our Socially Constructed Realities (SCRs) and the Reality That Is.

How often do you step back and reflect on
the reality you have created?

Toward the end of my stay in Chicago, I came across a lone rose bush with a late autumn bloom.  From that first arrival day until the day of departure, we had experienced heat, rain, overcast skies, and frosty weather signalling the beginning of winter.  Yet, one rose was defying the extremes that were unfolding.

I wondered how I weather the changes in my own life:  the extremes of long-held beliefs to the unfolding of new discoveries; the entrapped conclusions I espouse and the fresh lessons being learned.

How often do you stop and reflect on
the reality that is?

Maybe the SCRs that we learn from family, culture, education and country are meant to be starting points for other truths waiting to be revealed.  I recall being introduced to a metaphor about our society, that "We are a melting pot."  As I grew older, others described our country's diversity as being more like a "salad bowl."

Both metaphors may be true: the merging of beliefs and values as well as the distinctive nature of each culture.  Just think of the possibilities: the richness of Our Reality That Is comes from the dynamic freedom created when the SCRs of individuals are allowed to be explained, tested, and valued by our interaction with others.

How do we see ourselves?
 (University of Chicago, Harris School of Public Policy)

This is why I find dialogue so beautiful:  like that first day in Chicago, I was able to find a viewing point where I could see the Beauty of Both.  Then, as the week progressed, I began to experience the reality as others experienced it.  Talking with my clients, I could hear what they needed from my company and the skills I could offer.  The goal:  Working Together.

Without these moments of reflection, we may not have new perspectives to share.  We may remain trapped in our personal metaphors of what is.  And, we may miss out on what is real!


May we find freedom this week to seek understanding.

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

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