eRipples v2.35: Ripples of Challenging Interactions

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version 2.35 [Monday, August 28, 2000]

PEBBLE

To hold a grudge is to maintain an intense connection with someone you
might not want to have a relationship with in the first place.
-Francine Prose, submitted by Lin Hinds

BOULDER

Life is like a journey taken on a train
with a pair of passengers at each window pane.
I may sit beside you all the journey through,
or I may sit elsewhere, never knowing you.
But if fate should match us and sit us side-by-side–
let’s be pleasant passengers, it’s a nicer ride.
-original source unknown, submitted by: Lisa Sinclair

PONDER

In addition to hanging out with some awesome teams in California and
Michigan this week, I also helped kick off the new academic year with a
crew of school food service workers by leading a workshop on working with
difficult people. We discovered that there is another word for “difficult”
people: “different!” Sometimes, these folks are a challenge to us because
they think differently or have a different personality or perspective.
When you take the judgment out of your assessment and just assess them as
“different” than you and not difficult or mean, it might be easier to
listen to their viewpoint and not take their undesirable behavior
personally.

And as 4-year-old Kevin said to me one summer at the beach after hearing me
complain about a fellow lifeguard who was a complete jerk: “Paul, I think
you should be nice to Dan. I bet he doesn’t have very many friends.”

P.S. Make more ripples! Please forward an issue to your friends with a
personal note today!

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