On one of our treasured days out recently, I was struck and inspired by this metaphor for recent times, on a sign used by the National Trust to help everyone stay safe in the grounds of their properties.
We’ve had to travel one way for a while now; to keep ourselves and each other safe, to help us take national responsibility for what’s happened to us and to ensure we can come out of it all with ourselves and our businesses intact. We’ve missed our loved ones and it’s taken restraint and emotional labour to hold on at times and to resist the temptation to divert.
I reflected too though, that sometimes we can hold on to our own perspective too tightly, our one way of thinking or being if you like. I’ve been lucky, and am so grateful for the opportunity to learn new things, to appreciate others fully, to confront issues as yet un-debated within me and to try less to control life, but to experience life during these current times.
As we lead our lives, our businesses and our teams, I’ve found it helpful to be reminded of when I might have one way of seeing, and if I can see the ‘other’ as clearly, and even identify a third way, as yet undiscovered.
I do look forward to when we can divert off the one way and rejoin the paths we used to travel, and in multiple directions. But this time it will be with a new, broader and deeper perspective. Thank you National Trust, both for the days out that have kept me sane, and safe, and the inspiration to reflect and process some of what’s happened to us all over these last few months.
Take care.
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