The stones or the Beatles?

Stones or Beatles?  You Can’t  Always Get What.You Want so Let It Be

“So it’s just a small leak, but  a little water over a long time can do a lot of damage.”  

“Sometimes...but don’t go asking for big leaks.”  

That was the first part of my chat with the plumber this morning.  Then our conversation moved. Smoothly along...well as smoothly as a plumber laying  in a small puddle under  your sink could be.  

“We’re you.playing  Jumpin’ Jack  flash? 

Yep....

“Guess I don’t need to ask you—Stones or Beatles?”   

“Not really—I said—shaking my head a little.   Today it’s the Stones—tomorrow it might be Beatles or Dylan or Mozart.  

Then the conversation stalled....

And that’s.often how it is these days.  The conversation is guided right toward a duality—a forced choice and then  there is a judgment  and then the chat crashes or moves forward awkwardly ir picks up speed with a handful of assumptions  assigned to. One or more people.  

Okay follow along as this. Conversation drags you from the plumber to peace and joy—-okay  it’s already going down the drain you think?  

Let’s  get our feet a little wet before we go there shall we?  How  would the conversation  gone differently if the plumber had asked his question. In another way—

 For example—-

“I heard you playing the  Stones, are they your favorite?”  My answer could have been —no I’m kind of a Johnny Cash Person really or Jimi’s the man.”   Or I could say...it depends on the day—and what does that do for the discussion?  

In these days of learning to do social distancing I would  argue that we’ve been using  a lot of dualistic language in the past 20 years to create social distance and distinctions is a big hurry.  I’m wondering if. When we can have contact in the near future we will have the courage to. Ask the open ended  questions needed to allow  people to  become comfortable with the “new real?”  for instance will the place you work have the courage to. Get staff together  and ask how this distance. Work impacted  mental health and productivity?”  Will people be willing to  speak open and freely about  work related challenges that they have had time to reflect upon?  

Unfortunately I can hear thousands of staff meetings opening with the statement.

I’m glad to be  back and getting back to normal aren’t you?”  The.question  could be “hey I thought. Of some things we might change and am wondering  if you thought  of any?   Which of these questions would lead to. More potential peace and joy?  

the point here is that. Our current pandemic gives us some choices about. The “normal” conversations we have when we return to some of the “comfortable” routines.  the questions we ask ourselves  and others will  give us. Oppportunities that only unusual circumstances can reveal.  I, for one, have been trying very hard to avoid all the typical “Have you stopped beating your wife?” Questions that have  become so common place.  

  Let’s. Ask how developing alternative ways of social. Behaviors has helped us and taught us.   

We have a great. Opportunity to find all the things we share in terms of values and to do so without  having to break the. Normal routine because  it’s already broken for us.  

so the Begees? Or Air Supply? Lol

Oh and as my daughter pointed out....”it can be okay to say—I don’t know enough to have an opinion on this.”  

If you want to restart America let’s start at a new. Starting line, give ourselves.choices on the course we  might  choose and be courageous enough to be curious.

More  soon