Whaddyaknow!!!!

We had two March snowstorms within a week of each other -- both nor'easters that come with wet, heavy snow that falls fast and thick over an intense several hours. On the news, I heard reports of power outages, and our lights blinked on and off twice resetting all the the electronics. But we were okay. The lights and heat stayed on. And, since I freelance, I didn't have to go out to get to work. I was fine, so I figured everything around me was fine.

Then, two days after the second storm, I went out. And, wow! Whaddyaknow!!

Trees limbs, large and small, had fallen and had taken down wires everywhere with them. Roads were blocked while workers with chainsaws were clearing debris. Clearly, my reality was not a shared experience. The lesson was immediate and obvious. And, important.

Just because something is true, is real, for me, that doesn't necessarily mean it's so for others -- even for others I consider close to me, both in proximity and in attitude. It's important to check in. Ask questions. Seek information. Find out for yourself and don't rely exclusively on reports from others. And let yourself be willing to abide by two realities simultaneously.

Go deeper. Examine the word "reality." Really think about it. When you think something is "common sense" or "obvious" or something that "everybody knows," think again. Understand that your personal experience of events is just that -- personal.