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

(click on link for website)

Seek and Build Together

What do E-G-B-D-F, F-A-C-E, and Do-Re-Mi have in common?  As I was growing up, I remember learning the music scales of Every-Good-Boy-Does-Fine and FACE, but when Sound of Music introduced us to Do-Re-Mi, I was totally lost!  I never understood how the music scale mnemonics and this catchy tune worked together.

In fact, after all these years of my musical confusion, I still resist reading music and I can't sing a note correctly without standing next to someone who reads music and sings with confidence.  It is as if my childhood music lessons are on separate tracks that never converged.

Are there ideas that never intersect for you?
(Photo:  train tracks outside Santa Barbara, CA,
Larry Gardepie)

This memory came to mind last week while in church.  I was leafing through the worship guide to check which songs I knew.  The song for the Preparation of Gifts was "This is My Song" sung to the Finlandia tune.  I don't recall seeing or hearing this hymn before, so I read through the lyrics and tried to walk myself through the notes (A-G-A-B...).  I noticed that I was becoming frustrated:  I could figure out the notes but I still didn't know what they meant vocally.  When the Cantor stepped up and began practicing some of the songs and responses, I relaxed:  someone would be guiding us through the liturgy;  I didn't have to figure it out myself!

In that moment I was reminded that each of us has gifts and talents which open us to unique possibilities and potential.  We don't all have to be the same.  We don't have to do it alone!

Do you assume that you have to do everything well?
(Photo credit:  Unknown)

When it was time to sing "This is My Song" I was ready:

• I may not understand all of the notes in my life, but I have gifts to offer.
• I may not be confident when new situations arise, but there have been mentors to guide me along the way.
• I may not be strong in all things, but as the song suggests, we must seek and build together.

 

What gifts do you share with the world?
~~ Click on photo credit link to view video and listen to song ~~
(Photo credit:  A Tribute to All Nations, YouTube)

Through confusion, frustration, and feeling inadequate, I am learning humility -- that quality to see myself in perspective and in relationship with others.  Each person has worth and value.  Every neighborhood, city, state, region, and country adds to the whole.  We must get beyond the myths of individualism and nationalism to understand that we need to listen to and accept the diversity that already exists.  Negating others and their truths actually diminishes who we are... individually and collectively.

I would invite you to click on the YouTube link, A Tribute to Nations, and consider the beauty that each country offers... that we offer one another.

 

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

(click on link for website)