Today the amount of daylight in my city will be ten hours and twenty six minutes. In Bangor, Maine, it will be nine hours and three minutes. That’s a big difference. It’s one of the reasons I enjoy living in south Texas. If we look at these difference from a different perspective we can apply the concept of length of daylight to us and those we interact with. At any given time when we are interacting with family, friends, or colleagues, we’ll have a different perspective over an issue. There may be times when we wonder if the other person is nuts, stubborn, or stupid because they cannot see our point of view, Even when we carefully explain it to them we see a glaze of not understanding cover their eyes. Rather than arguing our point of view (more daylight versus less daylight), we might work to understand how far ahead they can see. Once we determine that, we can modify what we’re communicating to communicate in a way they understand. The amount of daylight distance between us is the product of many influencing factors. Let’s cut each other some slack.
perspectives
Thinking Out Loud ~ There are Multiple Perspectives
Today’s Thinking Out Loud reflection is on Aesop’s Fable, The Man and the Lion. Aesop’s Fables is available for free download here.
The Fable
“A Man and a Lion were companions on a journey, and in the course
of conversation they began to boast about their prowess, and each
claimed to be superior to the other in strength and courage. They
were still arguing with some heat when they came to a cross-road
where there was a statue of a Man strangling a Lion. “There!” said
the Man triumphantly, “look at that! Doesn’t that prove to you that
we are stronger than you?” “Not so fast, my friend,” said the Lion:
“that is only your view of the case. If we Lions could make
statues, you may be sure that in most of them you would see the Man
underneath.”
Note: My life would be much easier if everyone saw things the way I see them. It would also be boring if that were the case. In most cases there is my way, your way, and if we want to grow, a better way. Discovering the better way requires large doses of courage and humility mixed in equal proportions. Discovering a better way requires hard work and patience. A better way doesn’t appear by magic. It takes honest conversation and an openness to the insights that emerge from honest conversations. The man and the lion each saw the world from their perspective. They didn’t see the whole world, only the slice they wanted to see.
Something to Think About
When my brother and I first learned to canoe it was a hilarious adventure. We’d go from one side of the river to the other side. A straight line was next to impossible. It was a good thing we both could swim seeing that we tipped the canoe more than a few times. Eventually we got it right and figured out how to paddle and not tip the canoe. When we’re not working in sync with each other, getting to where we want to go is difficult. When we argue over our perspectives and can’t find a compromise we tip our canoe. It works better when we figure out how to work together. We get to where we want to go much quicker and we don’t tip the canoe.
Something to Think About
Society is better when people get involved. It doesn’t matter what side they’re on, it’s their involvement that matters because it shows that they care. In a democratic society, the different perspectives are resolved peacefully through voting. What is counterproductive is indifference, not caring, and apathetic attitudes toward life. Whatever your perspectives, get involved, work to make a difference. Society will become better because you chose to get involved.
