Reflections – Page 20

10 Lessons From Cats

Filed Under: Featured, Journeys, Reflections, Resources, Stories · August 10, 2009 · 2 Comments ·

I’ve been watching my two beautiful Tonkinese cats this morning and reflecting that the way they live holds great lessons for life.

Here are some of those things for which cats are such wonderful reminders.

Be sure to make time every day for play.
Look for sunshine in your life and, when you find it, take the time to stretch your soul into it and enjoy.
Develop the art of stillness.
Take care of those close to you. Watch out for them, spend time with them and share life’s fun as much as you can.
When you’ve had a spat with someone, forgive and forget. True friendship dwells above and beyond those differences.
Explore new spaces, new places, and new things with insatiable curiosity – but gently and safely, taking care of yourself at the same time.
You don’t have to be tense to stay alert, so relax those muscles. You can remain alert and completely, totally relaxed at the same time.
When life seems cold, look for the warmest spot you can find and stay there. It’s ok to curl up under the doona sometimes and stay hidden for a while.
When you know what you want in life, be sure to ask for it – loudly if necessary – in the certainty it will come to you in the end …
… but most of the time you don’t have to put your claws out. A soft touch may be all you need to gain attention. :)

I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior. (Hippolyte Taine)

One Voice in the Crowd

Filed Under: Featured, Reflections · August 3, 2009 · Leave a Comment ·

So often we think we can’t do much to make the world a better place. We look at the enormity of the task and think “What on earth can I do about it? Who am I, after all? Just one voice in the crowd!”

But here’s great little video I came across on You Tube, thanks to a friend who sent me the link. It reminds us that little things can make a big difference – if enough of us come together to do them! Even as one voice in the crowd, we can help to swell the tide of change.

Visit the We Are What We Do website for more information.

One brick in the wall you may be, one voice in the crowd
But without you we are weaker and our song may not be heard
One drop in the ocean, but each drop will swell the tide
So be your one brick in the wall, be one voice in the crowd

And we are foolish people who do nothing
Because we know how little one person can do
Yes we are foolish people who do nothing
Because we know how little one can do

(Lyrics from One Voice in the Crowd, by Judy Small)

One Picture, Two Stories

Filed Under: Reflections, Stories · July 8, 2009 · 2 Comments ·

Look at the picture to the right.

What does this represent for you? What do you think about when you look at it? What story does it tell you?

In the workshops we facilitate for clients, we often use images to help people come together around different issues. Last week in a workshop I was facilitating, two women shared their stories about this particular image.

For one, it held a story of youth, of gangs and of the potential for violence.

The second woman originally came from a part of the world where electricity cables were often falling or damaged and there were many deaths from electrocution. For her this picture told a story of safety – the boots over the wire were potentially a protection from dangerous currents and from possible death! She said that, without the boots, the image would have been far more frightening for her.

By sharing their stories, these two women moved the group into a rich conversation about how the same experience can hold very different meaning for different people. Something we all know, but sometimes forget in our day-to-day dealings with others.

I can’t really understand how you experience what is happening or the meaning you make of it unless I ask you. Unless I take the time to listen deeply to your story and appreciate how you see the world and your place in it.

“Reality is created in the moment, and there are multiple realities”
(Sue Annis Hammond, The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry)

Note: The image here is one card from a beautiful set called Picture This. These cards are published by Innovative Resources, which is one of the best sources we know for obtaining a wide range of excellent strength-focused resources.