Thought: Every morning I can see Venus outside my window before sunrise; it is so bright and clear you really can’t miss it. It’s a reminder to look up and out further but also something completely dependable. The same planets orbit the sun. The same views I get have been seen by humans for thousands of years. And it’s all predictable – we know where the planets will be 10, 100, and 10,000 years from now. Unless something very large acts on them, they keep orbiting the same way. The best part of the human experience is that I don’t know where I will be 10, 100 and 10,000 days from now other than it won’t be where I expect or am expected. I’m not a planet with an orbit. I’m a rocket with course correction.
“When we look at Auschwitz we see the end of the process. It’s important to remember that the Holocaust actually did not start from gas chambers. This hatred gradually developed from words, stereotypes & prejudice through legal exclusion, dehumanisation & escalating violence.”
Thought: This post is in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day (Jan 27), the memory of more than six million Jews systematically murdered and for my Jewish friends who still suffer discrimination today. Your faith is beautiful.
There’s been a lot in the news and social media about what makes children (and frankly their parents) uncomfortable these days. We are seeing curriculum and books be banned from schools – topics like gender identity, slavery, racism, the Holocaust, sexual health, sexism, and consent. The word that is commonly used is uncomfortable. It’s supposed to be fucking uncomfortable.
Trevor Noah said this week (paraphrased) that if we don’t teach how we got to the Holocaust, then it becomes a group of people who just got free pajamas and went to camp. Likewise, if we don’t teach about the horrors of slavery, then it becomes laborers working in fields for food, lodging and economics (saying nothing of the color of their skin). If we don’t teach about systemic racism, then it’s easy to say “all lives matter” while watching black children be murdered. If we don’t teach about the torture of Matthew Shepard, then it becomes just a bunch of guys messing around that got out of hand. If we don’t teach why half our population doesn’t have equitable access to health care, then we make laws that result in women suffering and dying. If we don’t teach about consent with horrific examples, then we silence the victim and the abuser goes on committing harm.
The problem with turning away from being uncomfortable means that the history you shy from becomes the new future you create. Do better and be uncomfortable.
Thought: On a hike I came upon a small rattlesnake in the center of the trail. It shook its tail and coiled up to warn me it was there. It lunged at me and hissed repeatedly. To be fair, I did sneak up on it. I gave it distance and walked around it but it never took its eyes off me. It came at me a few more times as I walked away. Although I meant it no harm, my presence was enough to set it off. Maybe it just got a shitty email. Maybe it got interrupted while speaking. Maybe it’s just its nature – strike before anyone gets too close. Walking away kept me safe but it didn’t do much for the next hiker to come along.
Thought: Leaving a trail of crumbs allows someone to follow you. It’s a generous act leading someone to place they hopefully want to go. Connected pieces of evidence leading to or from the source. However, giving someone your crumbs means something entirely different. You can feel the difference between these types of crumbs. One leads the other manipulates. I might think I’m giving a trail when I’m just tossing crumbs. The only way to know the difference is to ask – Is this a trail to somewhere or just the leftover pieces spread around?
Thought: I had a recent session with my therapist where we talked about expectations. She said something very powerful to me. “Expectations end in a period – there’s no room for anything else. Either it happens or doesn’t. Very black and white. Hope, however, ends with comma but. Hope becomes an on-going effort to seek the journey. Hope leaves the question open and the connection genuine to what may be.” Expectation kills, hope breathes life. I want to seek relationships and moments of hope versus ones with closed endings. Less periods, more comma buts.
Thought: Do you want compliments or feedback? (credit: Jon Acuff) Was asked to review a report. Modern technology allows multiple authors in a document to view comments and changes live. Halfway through the document I was asked to only provide “high level” comments. Guess they didn’t really want to know my thoughts. Better to make those intentions clear from the start. Hope the audience knows to only provide compliments as well.
“Shamelessness is a wonderful part of character .”
Stephen Colbert
Welcome to my blog. This blog is going to be my thoughts, opinions and ideas mainly focused on the water sector and its related content. I will share topics from the Water Environment Foundation, books I am reading, podcasts I hear, articles created by others and much more. I want to use this platform to share with my water community about what’s on my mind and sector happenings. This blog is for anyone who wants more from their career than just a paycheck. I plan on offering personal and professional content that inspires me. I hope you will join me on this adventure.
