WHAT YOU KNOW IS WHERE YOU GO

“The more I learn, the more I know what I want to be.”

This is a sign that I have always seen on my way home posted just before a bridge. It’s a very small sign and is barely noticeable by the people passing by. I’ve been passing by it and keep on reading it for the past month and it never stops stirring my thoughts.

Why is it posted there? Who posted it there? When was it posted there and for what reason? Do the answers to these questions really matter? I guess not. What matters is what it does to people that gets to read it.

I’ve always been a keen observer when I travel, unless I’m asleep, and I always take notice of the signs that I see. I heed the warnings (traffic signs), laugh at erroneous signs and marvel at smart and mind-stimulating signs. Now, let’s focus on this sign that I always see whenever I’m on my way home and see what I can make of it. Some other quotes come to mind when I see it on my way home such as, “Knowledge is Power” or “Knowing makes you stop asking the Whys”. I tried to apply this to myself by associating it with my job. I have never thought that I would be in the industry that I am in nor have I ever wanted to be in it before. I’ve seen it as a job that can be done by almost anybody who speaks the language and have, at once in my life, looked down on it. Then came an opportunity for me to be in it. I grabbed it, hesitantly, and have learned the ins and the outs of the business. I got promoted and am now aiming for more. I have mentored people that have been successful in the same industry with some of them overtaking me (An achievement I take pride in). Looking at the bigger picture, it’s not about me nor the people that have succeeded in it that I have been a part of but rather the image of me and them learning and finding a path to success. By learning the business I knew that I can excel in it and I can make a career out of it. I guess this is the part where that “sign” applies to me.

Gist:

I never liked the business nor wanted to be a part of it because I did not understand what it was all about. The moment I learned and understood it was the time I knew it was something I wanted to be associated with.

Moral:

Do not judge an industry, a profession or even a person if you do not fully understand the nature of it. Maybe I can try and learn how to make a table and a chair and want to be a carpenter. Maybe I can try and learn how to cook and be a chef. Maybe I can try and understand how to be corrupt and be a politician. (This is supposed to be a joke)

Closing:

Is there any profession, industry, business that you don’t want to be in that you don’t really understand? Try and be in their shoes before even trying to pass judgment.

I KNOW SOMETHING GOOD ABOUT YOU

I hate talking about people when they can’t defend themselves at that very moment. This has been a personal belief that I have adopted from people that I have been with along the way. Some of the people that influenced me to adopt this thinking are those from work, family, friends and strangers that I’ve had discussions, arguments or just simple conversations. I want people to not think of me as someone who would make negative comments about them when their backs are turned against me. So does that mean I will not provide negative comments about them? Of course not, I will still give negative comments, as well as positive, about them. The only difference is I will do this in front of them. I will tell them the things I don’t agree about them and let them say their piece. Not that I hate them, just being open to understanding the why behind it.

Reading through my daily paper, I came across an article. This section is about things that makes you wonder and think about the good and the bad and then decide on which path you want to go. But before I continue using this article as a reference, I would first give credit to the author of this article so I will not be accused of plagiarism. This is an article by Bella Angeles Abangan entitled “Inspirasyon ng Kapwa” under the section “Lakbay Diwa” from Tempo dated Feb 28, 2011. She quoted a paragraph, not sure if it is a poem, entitled “I know something good about you”.

“I KNOW SOMETHING GOOD ABOUT YOU”

Wouldn’t this world be better?

If the folks we may meet would say,

“I know something good about you,”

And just treat the way?

Wouldn’t it be fine and dandy?

If each handclasp warm and true,

Carried it with this assurance,

“I know something good about you,”

Wouldn’t life be lots more happy?

If the good that’s in us all

Was the only thing about us?

That folds bothered to recall?

Wouldn’t life be lots more happy?

If we praised the good we see?

For there’s such a lot of goodness

In the worst of you and me.

Wouldn’t it be nice to practice?

That fine way of thinking, too.

You know something good about me.

I know something good about you.

My thoughts on the article:

I agree on almost all of the points that she mentioned. People spend time talking about other people talking about what? Bad things that they said, did and attitudes that they don’t agree with. She had the best suggestion that I have read regarding employees that talks about their bosses negatively. Translated, “Whoever dislikes the way things are run by the Boss should simply just leave/resign.” This by far makes the most sense. Not saying that people shouldn’t spend time talking to each other exchanging ideas about other people. It’s all well and good, but why can’t we just talk about the good things about these people? How would you feel if someone you don’t even know comes up to you and tells you, “Hey, I know something good about you”? Doesn’t that make you feel better? Then this person name-drops his source by saying, “I talked to , one of your colleagues and told me that you are the best at what you do.”

Final Thoughts:

I have been thinking of what the effects of the suggestions above will be. So far, I have not come up with anything negative. I will give this a try starting today and by posting this in my blog, I hope I get others to do the same. I will change my attitude of not talking about people in their backs to “talking about these people and saying something good about them”.

One more thing I would like to add that is a really good suggestion. “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.”

/oaml