Dear Friend,
I hope that you’ve had a good weekend and that you are looking forward to your week ahead… there are ten days left of winter. Are you anxious to begin Spring cleaning or to be on Spring Break, or, maybe for you, Spring has already Sprung?
Well, this last little bit of winter has been interesting. There is so much to be grateful for right now and there are so many wonderful and beautiful things on the horizon! Joy is real and it does ebb and flow as challenges come and go, but it’s always there. Sometimes life throws a swarm of unknowns all at once. A new reality can sting without warning. Answers to questions are slow in coming. The unknown appears to take over without consultation. Still, joy lives on, within, along with gratitude and hope.
The world is full of all kinds of people. Thank goodness, right? It’s truly good that we are all different. We may all need the same things: water, food, shelter… but we all give and receive different levels of comfort, friendship, and love. We all embrace change, life lessons, humility, compassion, and empathy in different ways. For instance, what is comfortable for you might not be comfortable for someone else. If you are made aware of the other person’s discomfort, what do you do?
Think about a scenario like that. Maybe you are talking too loudly; the other person indicates that your voice is hurting their ears… What do you do? Do you lower your voice? Do you walk away, embarrassed? Do you start shouting to spite them? Do you apologize and ask them if this new volume is better?
Problem solving with others seems to require some form of communication. Do you agree?
When sharing space with others, there is often negotiation involved in order for both parties to establish what feels balanced and comfortable – consideration for both parties is important.
There was squawking from both gulls before this landing took place and these two pups have developed a beautiful way to be comfortable with each other.
Do you have any stories about how you’ve problem solved to find a solution as you’ve learned to cohabitate with someone (or not)?
Communication between two of the same species seems like it should be an easy thing. Two dogs use dog language. Two sea gulls make bird talk. A hive of bees will dance, buzz, echo…
And we all know situations where human beings feel stress when their home is invaded by mice or rats or ants or cockroaches. It isn’t safe for everyone involved to simply cohabitate, the insects and rodents don’t seem to understand your request for them to leave, you don’t want to rush into violent, extermination measures… But how do you negotiate with another creature? Can it be done safely and successfully for everyone involved? And we take it for granted that there is no law protecting the rights of an ant, rat, cockroach or mouse.
People can also be taken advantage of by other people. Sometimes, vulnerability is invisible -would you know if your neighbor was in distress? Helplessness can come in many forms and a person can suddenly find themselves wishing they had someone to talk to; even people that seem independent and maybe even stubbornly so, can actually be in need of help.
Even if they are distant or you don’t see eye-to-eye, check in with your neighbors and family and friends, stay in touch, talk with people and listen, know for sure that they feel safe, make communication a priority - all the while, know your boundaries and keep them comfortably yours.
As I said, this last little bit of winter has been interesting. And gratitude is the bee’s knees as we look toward so many wonderful and beautiful things on the horizon!
Dear Friend, thank you for being here; best wishes for a good week ahead!
Gently Be,
Leslie (and Frank)
"Gain goodness..." the Mundle
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