A Size Up of Life

     One of the first things I learned as both a firefighter and now lieutenant, was the art of the size up.  It was drilled into my head during the academy days that a size up always begins at the moment of a call for service.  The size up includes such things as: time of day, weather conditions, occupancy status of a structure, smoke/fire conditions, etc. It also includes sizing up the mood of FD personnel the first thing in the morning. In order to have a successful outcome at an emergency call, the above listed must be observed.  The adage is that what happens during the first 5 minutes of an incident will dictate the next 5 hours.  This reflection started me thinking about how often do we size up our own (or others) lives on a daily basis.

The Fire Scene Size Up

     Since I began my healing journey via energy work (acupuncture, reiki, and Kundalini yoga), I have become more attuned to the world around me. Something that I once gave no passing thought to has suddenly garnered my attention at a more existential level.  For instance, every morning for the past six years I walk my dog by the same neatly groomed home and always comment to myself about the wonderful curb appeal that presents before me.  As the years have passed, I noticed this same lawn slowly fade into disrepair and thought that the owners just stopped caring about appearances.  However, on a different day, I gave closer inspection (size up) and noticed a sign in the front window that read: NO SMOKING-OXYGEN IN USE.  It then dawned on me that the owners probably never stopped caring about the curb appeal, they just had to prioritize because of an illness that may have befallen one of them.  It just goes to show that one should not make assumptions based on first appearance.

     How many times have you been in a restaurant and complained about bad service from your waiter or waitress and tipped accordingly, or not?  I know I have been there and done that without giving it a second thought that this person may have something going on in his/her life, but came to work anyway because they still had to put food on their table or go hungry.  The moral of this story is that you will never know the background of every person you meet (whether it is in a dining establishment, local gym, or your next door neighbor), so don’t make a hasty judgment about their work performance, attitude, etc.  Given that, how can we size up the intentions or moods of others upon first contact?

     This week, while thinking about the theme of this blog post, I came up with a strategy on how to size up life (so to speak).  From now on, every time I meet someone in person, or talk to them on the phone, I am going to ask this one simple question:  “Hello, how are you doing today?”  The first few moments of this conversation can dictate the next several that follow so why not start off on the right foot. The ensuing response may reveal the demeanor of who you are interacting with.  If it is positive, open, and friendly you will more than likely have a great experience. If not, then reflect on what might be causing them to have a sour disposition instead of jumping to conclusions. Continue to engage with empathy (for the not knowing) and maybe, just maybe, you will brighten their day.   

     I have employed this strategy a few times already this week and the results have been amazing.  If we all just take the time to show genuine concern for each other on a daily basis, we can leave this world a little better off than we found it, before we leave it.  After all, that is our fundamental duty as a member of the human race. 

 

 

 

     A daily size up should start the first thing in the morning when we look in the mirror at ourselves to see how we may project onto the world and then adjust accordingly- remember that it’s not always about the other person.  Sometimes you get what you give.

 

In health and wellness,

 

Tim