A Flowery Response

I’ve been busy of late. Plugging away in preparation for April’s upcoming A to Z Challenge. I’m actually quite pleased with my progress and feel I’ve set myself up for success to finish the 26 posts on time.

But I’m in need of a break and was happy to see a new post from Rory over at Earthly Comforts posing some interesting questions in what he is calling “The Garden Dawdler”. I also took a bunch of pictures in the garden today, so I thought why not share them as well.

THE GARDEN DAWDLER — Q&A

Is the WHY to everything important?
While certainly not always important the WHY is usually pretty darn interesting to me. Why is the question of scientific discovery. Why is at the heart of a child’s curiosity. Why is also at the crux of why we seek God (or whatever we want to call a higher power). I hope I never stop wondering why!

What are my Top Five Fun Things?
Listing favorites is hard. Too much of anything and I tend to get a bit bored. But let me give this a try. My top five fun things (in no particular order):

1) Experiencing new things
2) Eating great food
3) Listening to good music
4) Lazing about
5) Learning something new (arguably a subset of #1)

Should we care about the dreams of others or only our own?
I believe that sharing (and caring) about each others hopes and dreams is a good way to connect with other humans. It doesn’t need to go beyond gaining an understanding, listening, and being emotionally supportive to others (we are not responsible or have any control over other peoples choices so it’s best to just be genuinely compassionate). If we do this for others we are more likely to receive this type of understanding and emotional support from others. It makes for a kinder gentler world for us to live.

How well do you deal with criticism from others?
I won’t lie. It can hurt if it’s valid (if its not valid its easy to dismiss and let go). My first reaction is a bit defensive although I try not to express this outwardly. But usually after reflection I’m able to process it a more healthily and decide what I should (or should not) do about it. I’m actually dealing with a bunch of survey results that are a tough critic of my leadership at work right now and its proving to be a good opportunity to practice empathy and understanding — both toward myself and others.

Do I say YES or NO more often, and which is it?
I definitely say some form of YES more often than NO. I’ve no problem saying no if I need to, but I find saying a qualified yes is more effective. If someone asks me to do something I don’t agree with completely, I may say yes to a modification of their request. Effectively shaping an acceptable yes, vs. say a direct no.

What is nose hair for?
It’s a protective mechanism to catch foreign matter from entering our bodies. And apparently as an older man I need more and more of such protection because its getting way too wild up in there.

What is the funniest comment you have ever received?
I can’t possibly answer this as I have no recollection. I’d say I hope it’s a comment on this post because I’ll then have a written record that I can refer to the next time this question is asked.

Novels or Netflix?
Sad to say neither of late. I just don’t seem to have the patience to sit through anything in long form. As a kid I was an avid reader both before and after we had access to home movies, but it’s been years since I’ve read through a book cover to cover. As for movies, I’ve seen a few in the past year but usually fall asleep at some point before the credits.

Do good things come to those who wait?
Yes. But good things also come to those that don’t wait. If we allow ourselves to see the good amidst the bad, good things come to us all whether waiting or chasing. I’m a firm believer in silver linings too so there always seems to be at least some good even with the bad. As for the idea of patience being a good thing, I tend to agree, but that doesn’t mean we just sit on our heals. We should be patient on things that are outside our sphere of influence, but we should be proactive in creating good when we can.

Thanks Rory for the interesting questions. I look forward to reading other’s responses as well.

Be well,

Monty

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