Hello Cage friends,
It's time for an old lesson in a new way (for me, perhaps you've already learnt this and if so good on you!) *There is going to be a lot of randomness this blog, ideas pulled from here and there and I will try to make as much sense as possible but I am a silly man who sometimes does things and communicates complexly*
So I want to start with my day and the way that I've begun to shift my schedule. On my day shifts I am developing a routine of trying to make sure I get a few things accomplished before I run off to work. I wake up just after 4 am, I start my day letting my dogs outside, and use the washroom while they do the same. Once everyone is back inside the house I have a shower to try and wake myself up and get me going. During my shower I've recently explored a few thought experiments. Taking an imaginary situation and "how would I handle being a teacher, what would I try to teach my students, how would I approach instructing them, and many different ways that I might address slackers, goofballs, what would I try and impart as necessary advice and guidance?“ That was the thought experiment that I ran through yesterday. Today was following a new intentional prayer that I am developing for myself. It begins with acknowledging my place in the Universe, that I have certain skills that no one else possesses and generic skills that anyone else may also accomplish. I ask that I have doors opened, that I am given opportunity to use skills only I possess to accomplish what is required of me. That doors be closed. That I am given the opportunity to grow within myself, my patience, my resiliency, my ability to handle difficult situations. I do not have an ironed out this is word for word what I say, but I desire to be a conduit for what the Universe may allow in my life. I want to open myself to the potential of what will happen, and that I will learn to recognize the areas I am being given a chance to enact the power, talent, and ability that I have. Whether gifted innately or that which I have managed to cultivate through experience.
So after going through my intentional prayer I had my thoughts wander back to a previous interaction I had at work on Boxing Day (although I was working nights). There was a mistake made by a crew and a section of main was shut off. Someone called in and I had a conversation about why the water was off and why it couldn't be turned back on. They had been without water for a day or two already and as it was Christmas they were frustrated with the situation. I remember at the end of the conversation one of the last things I told them after explaining everything was "Alright?" It was meant to be "Do you understand?" In the shower today the words from their response came back clearly to my mind "Well no, not alright". I thought through my line of reasoning, how could I have explained the situation better? Was there something that I might have been able to express or clearly inform them about the situation that would have garnered more clarity, understanding and appeasement? In going over this situation again I recognized something very cool and the old lesson that I learned maybe a month ago? It was about placing the dynamic above your girl. About serving the dynamic, instead of the immediate need or want from your s type. It was about recognizing there could be harm in giving in to wants of your s type, and how it could actually deteriorate the overall well being of the dynamic by making that choice. I saw clearly how this is true and I could recognize in this situation that I was placing the overall well being above the want of a single customer. Essentially the worst case scenario is that during the repair some parasite entered the water main, and if I opened that line up I could have sent that tainted water into the homes of those people and injured or potentially killed multiple people. I needed to wait for the lab to come back and test the sample giving us the all clear there is nothing hazardous in the water. But the labs are closed for Christmas and it takes time for them to process the samples. The thing is the customer was explaining their discomfort, they were a little upset and wanty. I had to prioritize the well being of all individuals and I had to place their safety above giving them water that night because if anything were to happen it would have been my responsibility. I saw so very clearly in that moment a better way of explaining the situation, of sharing with them tidbits of what could happen and that they needed to learn a bit of patience and sit in the discomfort until I was able to guarantee their safety. Now, don't get me wrong I didn't handle the situation poorly the first time. But can't we do better with a little self evaluation? Shouldn't we strive to work at being better in the ways we take responsibility, in how we explain ourselves and the manner in which we act? I mean it's the words we choose, the manner in which we approach a situation.
Which segues me into the next portion of this blog. We choose how we are seen and heard and experienced by our actions. It's the manner in which we squint, slyly glance out of the corner of our eye, or stare deeply intently forward with full eye contact. It's the manner in which we stand, the posture we hold, the intensity within our voice, the range of quiet and loud, expressive and soft, the way we hold our hands, the pressure we use.
I had a very interesting conversation with my friend in which she shared with me 3 photos. The images were very similar, and yet the differences between them were exceptional. The funny part is that I am a blind man. If you have read one of my previous blogs I mention that I have aphantasia (the inability to visualize, or a lack of a minds eye). Internally I am a blind man. Externally, I wear glasses and my vision is quite poor. But more than that I don't notice subtle changes. My friend who happens to be an empath was sharing with me the way she read the images. The expressive way she was able to explain the situation by reading the subtle cues of the hands, the shoulders, the jawline, the essence of each situation was radically different. When I looked at the images I had no sense of them, I didn't see anything that she was able to. I was truly blind to what was being said by the two people and the nature of the relationship and interaction they were preserving. The thing that shook me, that rattled my whole being was the depth that can be achieved without a word. Becoming explicitly intentional by the manner in which I hold my hand, the manner in which I turn myself. The way I choose to lean forward, or back, or shift my weight neutrally. How I hold myself can speak volumes when you know what to look for, when you learn to read the energy expressed. I need to become more aware of the nature of my posture, I need to work at understanding what my Dominants Will requires to express. How my eyes, my shoulders, my hands, my torso, my voice, my legs, my feet all can work together to express my Will. Learning how to master this expression, this intention, this fundamental being is paramount to my journey. There is immense depth in the smallest gesture, there can be perfect communication without a single word. I need to master how I express myself. It is a requirement. I need to work at putting more thought into how I choose to express myself. I am learning that I am always where I need to be, but it's about listening to what that situation requires. Allowing myself the opportunity to be the conduit that the Universe will work through, and acting appropriately in every situation, in all spaces, all interactions that I find myself. Some spaces I may learn what NOT to do, and some spaces may test my frustration, and build my patience. Some situations may reward the good work I have been implementing in my life, but each place I am meant to be. Each moment is a chance to grow, to learn, to improve. To be shown that all will occur as it should and if the outcome doesn't align with what I desire or want then perhaps it's because the Universe is telling me this is what I need right now. To take this lesson and then find myself in a more prosperous place in a months time or next week or tomorrow.
I hope you are all well, and I thank you for taking the time to read my words today. I do earnestly hope that you gained an insight, or see a clearer way forward for yourself at the end of this blog. If you feel you've wasted your time here, then feel free to take it up with HR and file a complaint. Have a good day everyone.
