Perspective Matters

As a child, do you remember drawing a picture of your house and your family?  My house was block-ish with its walls and roof but my family members were proportional with my parents taller and each sibling smaller according to their age.  The concept of height and family order seemed to be understood.

Later, in art class, we learned about dimensions and perspective:  drawing an object with various elements larger when closer to us or smaller when farther away.

Are we taught about perspective or do we observe and replicate perspectives?

How do we understand positions further away?
(Photo:  Balboa Park Colonnade, San Diego - Larry Gardepie)

I was reflecting on the matter of perspectives when I was walking in Balboa Park a few weeks ago:  the 1915 colonnades provided a multi-dimensional labyrinth of ideas...

• We judge distance by comparing one object against another.
• Objects are in relationship to one another.
• Can the relative worth of one exist without the other?
  

Is this the same for ideas, opinions, and ideologies:  we compare and contrast; they must be in relationship; existence relies on the other?

Can "like" objects be different?
(Photo:  Wrought Iron Fence, Holland Park, London - Larry Gardepie)

As I played with these musings, I looked at both natural and human-constructed elements of our world... like flowers and weeds (both are plants); boundaries and fences (one defines; the other limits); walls and ceilings (support and cover).

A dependency of comparisons exists that support our thoughts and socially constructed realities (SCRs).  That is, what we:

• Like or don't like;
  
• Value or don't value;
• Consider to be true or not.

I wonder... is our sense of Right and Wrong taught or observed?

What is more important: the walls or the ceiling?
(Photo:  Bath Cathedral, England - Larry Gardepie)

As we begin this New Year, it may be helpful to explore another person's perspective.  What matters to me might not matter to that other person!

 

As we compare our different viewpoints, it also might be important to consider our relationships:

• Is this relationship important?
  
• Do we want to stay in relationship?
• How does this relationship provide perspective and depth?

May these days ahead challenge us to grow beyond our earlier blockish understanding and learn or observe how to appreciate other views.

 

Perspective matters!

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

Disturbances in the Force

Fans of Star Wars will understand references to "disturbances in the force."  Why am I beginning with Disturbances?  The upcoming election seems to convey a similar sentiment... something is Not Right or Out of Balance in our communities!

There is one major difference between the movies and our present reality, though.  For the Star Wars movies, we were spectators and could differentiate between the dark side of the force (defined as anger, fear, aggression, and lust for power) and the Jedi (serving the Light and the Living).  For elections, we are called to be informed and active citizens.

Do we allow past grievances to fall away?
(Photo: Hubbard Glacier calving - Larry Gardepie)

Without taking a political side, I wonder if we can see the dark and light sides of the messages our political candidates are offering us?  I would agree that it gets confusing when both sides paint "The Other" with Dark-Force-like Language!  (Political consultants assist in honing the messages to sound bites... and we take the bait!)

I wonder if our dilemma is not having a handle on our own values or not knowing what kind of world we want for ourselves and our Loved Ones.

What helps is looking at Mystery through the lens of our Values!

How do we encounter Mystery and the Unknown?
(Photo: Mysterious Antarctica - Larry Gardepie)

For instance, if I want a world that is kind, loving, and giving...

• How do I live out those values? (Personal)
  
• Can I seek out and encourage people with similar values? (Communal)
  
• Which candidate will support the growth of those values?  (Political)
  

It takes work on our part to understand ourselves, improve ourselves, and aspire to the values important to us.  The Mystery is lessened when we take a step closer toward the World Envisioned through our values.

Can we see beyond the disturbances?
(Photo: Silver Lining - Larry Gardepie

My encouragement is in the Gift to Dialogue: listening, asking questions, and seeking to understand.  If we approach these elections with a Spirit of Dialogue, maybe we can share our value systems and what is important to us... and invite our friend and neighbor to do the same.  In this way we could lessen the boundaries that separate us:  we have heard what is important.

 

May this week provide ways to see beyond the disturbances.  May we become informed and active citizens.  May we enliven the values that guide us -- personally, communally, and politically.

Larry Gardepie

Dialogue San Diego Consulting

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