Problem solving

Have you ever done something which, upon reflection, could have been done better if you had just thought it through in the first place?

I sometimes have rather random experiences which I remember for the rest of my life because of what they taught me.

One time, about 3 years ago, I was walking out of a store with some poster board. It was a windy day and I just held on to one end of the heavy paper and let it ride with the wind, hoping it wouldn't get too wrinkled by the time I got to my car. Along the way, a youngish man in the business suit stopped in his tracks, observed me for a moment, but held his peace and went on his way without a word. It struck me that he saw something in my situation that might not have been the smarter way to handle things but decided to not counsel a stranger on how to transport her stinking poster board. After I got in the car I sat and thought about how I could have carried it out to the car in a "smart" way.

Roll it up.

Ever since then, when I come up against a problem, I remember my poster board and wonder if there is something about the problem or solution that I'm just not seeing very clearly. That one simple experience has taught me to listen not only to what people say, but how the rest of them reacts to what I say and do.

So, be careful. I'm watching you and your opinion is more clear than you may realize. ;)

Conversely, the stuff you may want to tell me but don't is totally obscure or unknown. Ain't communication grand?