I heard a tale the other day about an old farmer who met all of life's events regardless of their nature with the comment "good or bad - hard to say". This farmer understood that everything in life is connected and when something happens to knock you off your path you find your way to somewhere you never imagined. Sometimes what you think is terrible turns out to be great and sometimes what starts out as great turns into something terrible.

An initial thought/reaction to a situation can lead you to your next words or actions which may forever change what follows. Good or bad is very subjective and binary. Life is complex with most of it spent in the shades of gray between the binary black and white polar positions. Good/bad, right/wrong, strong/weak, ugly/beautiful, thin/fat, old/young - there are so many labels and divisions in the world in the world today.

I know when a label gets affixed to you it can be devastating. I find it distressing to watch hurtful labels be hurled in contempt at others. I am horrified at trying to explain to the Toad when he witnesses this personally or through the media.

I am going to try and channel that old farmer from the parable and hold my reactions and labels in search of something more holistic, realistic and filled with grace.Tree Toad Consulting