Foolish Perspectives

One of the unique features of each Holland America cruise ship is in the elevator: the day of the week is imprinted on the floor mats.  Crew members are tasked with changing out these carpet pieces each evening so that passengers know the day of the week.  It's a nice feature... until you realize time is quickly passing and your vacation is coming to an end!

Talking to a cruise director one day, I mentioned that an interesting April Fool's joke might be to place a different day-mat in each elevator on April 1st.  How many passengers would notice?  Imagine the confusion!

How many clues do you gather each day?
(Photo: Holland America elevator floor mat - Larry Gardepie)

As humans, we receive a vast array of sensory input throughout the day, and our minds are constantly trying to sort out and understand this information.  What I find interesting are the various methods we individually distinguish between what we pay attention to, what we consider to be true and accept, and what we decide to believe or not believe.

For instance, observing myself and other passengers seeing a floor mat that says "Saturday":

• Some people looked at their watch or phone to confirm the day;
  
• Some talked to their companion to confirm the day;
• Others simply shook their heads in affirmation; and,
• A few didn't say or do anything.

When are you too close to a situation to see it fully?
(Photo: Holland America artwork - Larry Gardepie)

Another nice feature of Holland ships is the artwork scattered throughout the vessel.  I have always admired creative simplicity:  being able to artistically tell or display simple scenes.  One art piece was covered with colored plastic bubbles that had been squished.

 

Looking closely, you could appreciate the technique and amount of work - the placement of each plastic bubble; the evenness and consistency when depressing the bubbles.  Stepping back, the viewer could now see, understand, and appreciate the full image.  Both closeness and separation were important to appreciate what was before us.

Can you step back and appreciate a different view?
(Photo:  Holland Artwork - Larry Gardepie)

I would suggest that Dialogue invites us into meaningful conversations about differing ideas, opinions, thoughts, and truths.  It attempts to differentiate between facts and assumptions we have held closely, and to build foundations of shared meaning and understanding.

 

Dialogue doesn't presume that everyone will agree on everything.  But it relies on goodwill and trust to look closely and then step back on various topics, issues and concerns.  It asks that we develop an awareness of where we gather information and with whom we check it out.

 

I am worried, though, that our society is playing with the anti-thesis of dialogue:  to push out narratives and perspectives that push away opportunities to come together.  Like my April Fool's suggestion to the cruise director, today's narrative attempts to confuse.

My prayer as we enter each Holy Week of our lives, let us release the foolish perspectives that separate and divide, and let us be drawn together to resurrect New Ways of Being together!

 

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

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