Same Situation, Different Viewpoints

I enjoy the summer for lots of reasons, particularly because I make the effort to reconnect with girl friends and sports. It is always fun–full of stories, lies, and half-truths that are meant to cause laughter and exaggerated histrionics, which totally clarifies why our families disown us when we’re together.

Recently three of “my buds” and I were car-pooling to a soccer game. There was a lull in the conversation: We were all gazing out the window, at the weather. What unfolded was simple and common enough, yet the profundity is significant.

“I know it has to rain,” states Mary. “It’s just that I hate playing in the rain.”

Claire chuckles. “It’s not so bad. The flowers need the rain to grow. And now we can slide-tackle and just blame the rain.”

“First we have too much snow, then too much heat and now it’s freezing. What gives?  The weather sucks for this time of year,” says Janis.

And of course I add my two cents: “It is sunny out. It’s just that the clouds are blocking the rays from reaching us. Not to worry. The clouds will have their fill of the sun and then move along.”

Soon enough a bit of lightness infused the car again, but I couldn’t help but ponder the impact of what just occurred–four people experiencing the same situation with different responses. And each of us thought that our response was the only real possibility.

We all know that we cannot control the weather. Mother Nature has that responsibility firmly planted under her wing. What we can control is our reaction to all experiences we encounter. Our orientation, our thoughts, our beliefs will determine our reality.

Mary’s belief about playing soccer in the rain caused her to have a terrible game because it rained. Could she have had more fun and a better game had she thought differently about the rain?

Claire had the best time slide-tackling, an act that is not normally permitted in our league. She was filthy dirty and grinning from ear-to ear.

Janis continued to find fault with everything from the field conditions, to rough playing, bad calls by the referee, a wet ball and so on.

Predictably, by the end of the game two of us were feeling great and the other two were feeling frustrated, blaming and unhappy.

Article originally published in Volume 10-4 of Your Workplace magazine