“We judge others by their behavior. We judge ourselves by our intentions.” (Ian Percy)
Results matter. What if someone gave you all the ingredients to a lemon meringue pie beautifully arranged on a platter. How appreciative do you think you’d be? They’d probably have been better off not giving you anything at all- ‘cuz you probably think they’re a moron now (rightfully so). Good intentions are like cotton candy- they shrink to nothingness if they’re let out of the bag. But of course it’s simpler when we evaluate ourselves to add all those could’ve would’ve should’ves to score brownie points.
I’m not quite sure that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. (I could verify it for you when I get back.) For one thing the intentions of a decent person usually result in some sort of action. Conversely, someone who is desensitized and accustomed to evil will have a different definition of ‘good’. And secondly it’s puzzling why the road to hell would be paved at all? Is it to give the evil a false sense of security? Or one last leisurely stroll?
Of course judging others is a salve to our conscience (and boy, do our conscience’s need soothing). So essentially we suffer by minding our own business. Suddenly our faults our staring at us in the face and we have nothing to deflect the shame and truth of it all. Yes, our priority is survival- but at what cost to our relationships?
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
cliff diving and post-it notes
“For disappearing acts, it's hard to beat what happens to the eight hours supposedly left after eight of sleep and eight of work.” (Doug Larson)
There is a preconceived notion that organized people generally accomplish things more efficiently than those who are, shall we say, not the sort who make detailed lists and carry around leather bound planners.
Some of the people who we might consider ‘flaky’ have all necessary information compartmentalized inside their head. They may choose to do things in a way that’s not the obvious approach- but who are you to say that it’s not well planned? You can only take half of the credit for getting a job done. Lots of people rush to finish because they crave the rush that comes along with crossing an item off of their list. The other half- and perhaps the more important-is how it’s done. I find that if one is less pressed to finish their consultation at precisely 3:57 which will give them three minutes to prepare an afternoon coffee (with one sugar and no cream, decaf mind you) and arrive on time for the meeting in room 201 on the 7th floor INSERT BREATH HERE then one might have been more likely to notice that despite the wrinkled suit the client was just let go had potential to earn the company close to a half a million dollars.
Preconceived ideas in general tend to conceal a layer of falseness. Woe is to those of us that have taken on lemming characteristics and rely on society to draw conclusions for us.
Comments, as always, are welcome.
There is a preconceived notion that organized people generally accomplish things more efficiently than those who are, shall we say, not the sort who make detailed lists and carry around leather bound planners.
Some of the people who we might consider ‘flaky’ have all necessary information compartmentalized inside their head. They may choose to do things in a way that’s not the obvious approach- but who are you to say that it’s not well planned? You can only take half of the credit for getting a job done. Lots of people rush to finish because they crave the rush that comes along with crossing an item off of their list. The other half- and perhaps the more important-is how it’s done. I find that if one is less pressed to finish their consultation at precisely 3:57 which will give them three minutes to prepare an afternoon coffee (with one sugar and no cream, decaf mind you) and arrive on time for the meeting in room 201 on the 7th floor INSERT BREATH HERE then one might have been more likely to notice that despite the wrinkled suit the client was just let go had potential to earn the company close to a half a million dollars.
Preconceived ideas in general tend to conceal a layer of falseness. Woe is to those of us that have taken on lemming characteristics and rely on society to draw conclusions for us.
Comments, as always, are welcome.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
circuses and hell
“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” (Philip K. Dick)
Imagination is one of those G-d given gifts which I venture to say is underappreciated. Most of our greatest fears revolve around pain. The agony of humiliation haunts us in our sleep. The sound of the dentist’s drill makes our toes curl. The permanent ache that buries itself deep within after the death of a loved one and threatens to obscure our outlook on life forever…
I ask you to pause for a moment and paint a picture in your mind’s eye a clown. His shoes are made of plastic, oversized and bright green. His face is coated with a thick layer of white paint and his eyes are exaggerated with dark black circles. His nose is made of cheap red foam and his rail thin body is swimming in a colorful polka dotted jumpsuit with ruffled yellow cuffs. The curls of his neon blue wig bounce with every step he takes. Unless you’ve got coulrophobia, the thought should bring a smile to your face.
Dante must've known this when he wrote Inferno. He used his imagination to conjure up a detailed description of fear stripped raw. Hell. No wonder his work has been the subject for philosophers and the inspiration for countless artists for well over six centuries.
The same way you created an image from nothing, you can create a feeling of well-being and security just through channeling the power of your mind. Who wouda thunk it? You’re safe haven is at the tips of your fingers.
Imagine that.
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