‘A problem
can't be resolved with the same thinking that it was created with.’
Albert
Einstein
Last Saturday we went to shopping at the local shopping centre. It’s an interesting pastime, shopping trolleys that go the opposite way to where you want them to go and car parks where you can lose your car. Even arts and crafts groups sitting behind their trestles looking really interested and intelligent.
Hoping
you’ll take pity on them and buy something. Still some of their wares are fascinating. Like a wall plaque for the home
that says if I’d known how good grand kids are I would have had them first.
Every
now and then the past makes it’s presence felt and its always when we have set
a goal to achieve something new. Plan a
day in the office and the phone will ring incessantly. Plan a meeting in Perth
or West Perth and see how many calls come in requiring things that “need” doing
today.
I
guess it’s a case of getting what we ask for. There are the clients who want
everything done yesterday, but can’t find the documents that are needed. It’s
amazing 80% of the effort goes into those clients who produce only 20% of the
income. Then there’s a panic because the Brisbane office wants some documents
for a government department yesterday to make sure we’re meeting the
guidelines. Then we wait about for weeks until we know if what we are doing is
still legal.
A Dr
friend from Fremantle often used to say if it wasn’t for the Government
departments the rate of unemployment would be double. He should know he was a
state politician at one time.
Then
we have the “plebs” who say “you can’t do that” (more like they don’t want to
say “I can’t do that”). Just for fun sometimes I ask them “Do you mean you are
incapable or you are not allowed to”. For some strange reason they get very
confused. More often than not the answer is “whadayamean”?
Still I suppose we shouldn’t be so hard on those who
haven’t had the benefit of working for themselves and having to fix it if broke
and work it out for yourself how it happened. (Bit like raising kids you get
all the answers after they leave home).
That
was a week ago and the process of getting
some semblance of order in my life is under way.
The
love of a partner who has stuck with me in the quest for answers has been of
immeasurable help. The understanding of people in the know who have told
stories either of their own experiences or of people they knew is extremely
supportive.
The support and counsel of a couple of highly successful
business colleagues who assisted not only in the reconstruction of business
ventures and made such a difference in
a week, which at some level I knew was possible but couldn’t function or focus
long enough to achieve. That for the first time there is realistic hope for
that success.
It is
interesting some will still look at the person who grappling with a difficult
situation and see their anger and frustration, but not the pain and fear that
may be experienced internally. I’ve been blessed to have known the love and
support of some wonderful people while growing up and now to have the love and
respect of some significant people. Significant for their compassion,
encouragement and support. Significant because of their quiet and self effacing
approach to life.
People
like a mother who provided wisdom, understanding and ongoing encouragement. An
inherited Dad who by example taught me that no matter how long the job may take to do, do it thoroughly and it will
only need to be done once. From a grandmother
from whom I learned to laugh at simple things and no matter how bad you felt to
ignore it and get on with it. From my friend and business colleague Paul that
being prepared to listen and learn then believe (the internal kind) in myself
that long pursued success will follow. From Dr. Brett, a Barrister, that
humility and honour for all people will earn
more respect than flaunting how good you are. From my son Matt I learned
that no matter how difficult life may seem one can gain respect and actually
have the things in life that are important to us.
These
are but a few of the significant people. The interesting thing is with each of
these the lessons were learned not from anything they said, rather from their
example. To have someone who believes in you, no matter what, makes achieving
high goals possible. This is more likely to happen when growing up in a small
community as the we don’t get lost in the isolated busyness of suburbia.
Finally
to a partner who in my worst moments I unjustly criticised, condemned and
complained about, yet who had the courage and compassion to go one more round
with an angry and frustrated man and help him see things differently. Sometimes
wisdom is ignored or overlooked because it may be spoken very quietly.
That
is true support.
