Turning Point: What Will You Choose?

I remember wise people in my life who suggested that I use the time at stoplights to pray, call to mind people who have impacted my life, moments of gratitude, or sitting in silence without music or news.

These suggestions came to mind recently in Akureyri, Iceland.  The town decided that the red light on all stoplights should be a Red Heart!

Stop... to love?  Stop... to care?  Stop... to be kind? 

When do you stop to love?
(Photo: Akureyri, Iceland - Heart Stoplights
- Larry Gardepie, 2025)

Maybe the Turning Point our world needs right now is to Stop... and Make a Choice that draws us together rather than separating us even further.

Another memory from my Catholic elementary school:  when tensions rose on the playground and classmates would shout "I hate you" at one another, the Religious Sister would remind us of Jesus' command... we are called to love one another!

What signals do you give others?
(Photo: Paul Revere statue pointing
at Old North Church window where lanterns
were placed, Boston - Larry Gardepie, 2025)

I wonder what signals we are giving each other: One, if we Hate; Two, if we Love?

• Are we still in the schoolyard yelling at each other?
• Do our misunderstandings say, "I hate you"?
• How do we follow the Golden Rule when we aren't happy?

Or, do we expect someone else to remind us to Stop... and Love... or Care... or Be Kind?  What if... you -- or possibly, we -- are now the adults who are called to stop the hate?

Are you willing to reach across the divide?
(Photo:  Hands Across the Divide,
Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland - Larry Gardepie, 2025)

It takes each one of us to Notice, Choose Non-violence, and Decide how we want to move forward.  As Sister would say, "You don't have to like everyone... but you are called to love everyone."

Like the citizens of Akureyri, can we change how we see the Red (or Blue or Purple) in others and replace it with a heart that reaches across the divide that separates?

What will you choose? 
 

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

Curiously Exploring

Have you ever wondered how your childhood has influenced your adulthood?  I grew up in the era of TV programs like "Gilligan's Island," "Brady Bunch," and "Star Trek" (the original series).  Then came the "The Carol Burnett Show," "The Mary Tyler More Show," "The Love Boat," and "All in the Family."  See any changes in how life presented itself to a young TV viewer?

Whether you grew up in this same period or before or after, certain images, quotes, and theme songs probably draw you back to your earlier self.

Let's get lost in a few of these memories!

Do you remember when you were curious about life?
(Photo credit: Curious About Curiosity?
Professor Studies How Children Learn, UVAToday)

For instance:

• What did "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia" mean?  (Everything centers around Marcia!)
• What was the Skipper's affectionate name for Gilligan?  ("Little Buddy")
• Do you recall the name of Mary Tyler More's theme song?  ("Love is All Around")

Just think of how these messages affected many of us: we didn't need to be the center of attention, and love and friendship were important even when there are disagreements.

How do you envision your universe?
(Photo credit: Carina Nebula, NASA's Webb Space Telescope)

 
Star Trek taught us to explore, seek out, and boldly go where no one had gone before.  And, it introduced us to Vulcan's IDIC philosophy ("Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations") and "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" -- or as Captain Kirk would reply, "Or the one."

 

These messages merged with our innate sense of curiosity:  we wanted to explore, accept, and put others first.

Are you willing to explore the depths of yourself and others?
(Photo credit: Ocean Exploration - Technology, National Geographic)

Why am I reliving childhood memories and messages?  I was working with members of a leadership team this past week.  As I listened to their struggles and challenges, I noticed that I was curious about how organizational structure and norms had overridden messages common to many of our childhoods:  sharing, caring, and listening.

 

 For this week, maybe we could return to the images, quotes, and theme songs that spoke to us as children... of friendship, love, and attention... and explore curiously where no one has gone before?

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

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