Perspective

So I survived the meeting of the minds of the charitable organization for which I work ... put 10 business managers from across the country in one room, add active members (volunteers) who know little about the daily operational issues of running the very business they strive to represent, a charming and oh so pleasant dysfunctional board (is that a prerequisite of every board?), a few staff members attempting to move forward change ... and you've got a powder keg threatening to blow at any second.

At one point, I did turn to a colleague and said, "I should have filed for the television rights ... this would make one successful reality show" ... it had everything: drama, soap box grand-standing, passive aggressive plottings and plannings, slurs, innuendos, nail-biting suspense, opposition, schemes, dreams ... tears, laughter ...

So it's business as usual ... and we'll see what happens. I was the "golden girl" ... but apparently the honeymoon phase in this organization is always this way ... we'll see how long it lasts ... can I make it last longer than others? Will it last long enough for me to meet my mandate? Stay tuned ... (or at least tune in later for further updates) ...

I guess the reason I'm even sitting down to write about this weekend at all ... is that it held a certain truth that went far beyond the weekend itself ... it spoke to me of representing life and society in a simple way ... everyone speaking and acknowledging that they are working for the same purpose while clearly taking steps that are not ... cross purposes. Are people that blind? Are people that sure that others can't see for themselves what they are really doing?

Do I care? Should I care?

I realized over lunch with my boss (whom I've been know to call many a name) and another staff member ... that I had subtly let myself be influenced by some of the descriptions and opinions of others ... and that when I thought I was seeing his actions from an open mind-set ... my open mind-set had already been coloured by those comments and suggestions and innuendos.

And so I sat at lunch ... and took the time to get the know the person behind or should I say inside the blue pin-stripe suit ... a dreamer, an artist, a gentle, gentle soul ... a musician with something to say ... actually a songwriter ... an aspiring writer penning the great Canadian novel ... a visual artist ... a peer of my generation (god he looks at least 10 years younger ... his secret? no wife ... no kids ...) ...

Puts things in perspective ...