MUSINGS and other writing by Mark Kolke

EASY

Monday Nov. 21, 2011

column written/ published from my residence in Cranston (SE Calgary) near the Bow River valley

Morning walk:  -10C/13F, large arch pushing clouds away and a warming breeze from the west to my delight – and Gusta (a.k.a. Ms. Mucky-paws) enjoyed our jog on bare/dry paths while construction workers let their skill-saw whine fill the subdivision.

Easy.

To criticize others by simply saying “that was wrong … it was obvious what the RIGHT THING was to do”.  We need look no further than front page, op-ed page or latest move of our country, our industry, our competitor or our company – there is no shortage of bad moves, blunders, miss-steps, whoops and complete idiocy to study.

Easy. 

Monday-morning quarterbacking lives of others – what they should have done, what they should do next, or what I/WE would have done had I/WE stood in their shoes . . . especially when we cannot fathom their decision, cannot understand their high-functioning stupidity or recklessness because we cannot possibly see things their way from their vantage point.

If important, there are strong views on both sides of every argument, position or strategy.

If unimportant, no one cares.

From sidelines, we cannot see them as right – cannot see ourselves as wrong. 

Those closest to issues make wrong calls, but that is their right.  Wallowing in it, to the point of near-drowning, is their right too. And turning things around is their responsibility.

We look at lives – our neighbour, our friend, or ourselves – goof-ups and blunders rarely make newspaper headlines but we know, just as well, errors in judgment occurred.

We cannot help. We can only watch. Sometimes it is too hard to watch.  If, instead, we look in the mirror we see our own foibles.

Do I know what to do? 

Do you?

Will we do the right thing, make the right call, take the right step?

I got up this morning without a plan, per se.

I will, I expect, work through priority items laid out on my desk, my credenza, my floor in degrees of importance and urgency. Among them are some things I do on Monday.  I know, I could have started them Sunday . . . but lets not go there.

Every day, not just Mondays, I get up with this feeling that – if I knew what to do, I would just do it. 

Easy.

If it were only that simple. 

Maybe it is.

Mark Kolke

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Comments Received:

JUST SHOW UP

A captain or a sailor?  To be a teacher is the ultimate learning experience, it keeps you alert and if you are patience, smart enough and truly pay attention it can be as enlightening as much as a rewarding experience. I was with one of my favorite groups just the other day; the lesson “giving opinions” the subject: How important is to be punctual. As my students debated I observe I find no surprises in the different opinions they were expressing, most of them were just plain excuses sadly embedded in the culture. I’m afraid but at the moment when the question was finally turned to me, they made me realize how powerful I really am and I like it! It takes a powerful person to be able to lead their own life, to be able to make a decision and follow through without hesitation or fear of failure. Often I find myself unconsciously overwhelmed by the silly excuses I hear…….I try to understand, to be sympathetic and I do try to overcome them, it is not an easy task but I’m driven and committed even more so today when I had found out how powerful I am, AG, Playa del Carmen, Mex

Good Morning, Thank you so much for a wonderful birthday dinner - it was really yummy and I do so appreciate it, S, Calgary, AB