More to the Story
Hi Friend
I'm writing to you this week from Madison, Wisconsin. Last night I surprised my lovely wife by taking her to see the musical, Wicked. They weren't coming to Minneapolis, so this was the closest venue hosting the traveling show. When the movie came out, I asked her not to see it, so she could experience it first in a live setting, like I did 8 or 9 years ago.
Earlier this week I was in Albuquerque speaking at a conference. I went for a run in the evening down by the Rio Grande. Much to my surprise, the river was gone and only sand remained in it's place. I was shocked. I posted about my surprise on insta-story and my mom sent me an article about water-debt to Texas and less melted snow being the cause.
It appears this week, I'm going to learn about expectations. I'm sure I've raved to you before about how much I love the inverted story that depicts the wicked witch as good and the good witch as... not so good. We grew up believing one thing about the green-skinned, black-hat-wearing, broom-flying witch, only to discover what we thought we knew, was not quite accurate.
I gush about the creativity to devise such a story from one that was so beloved and so codified into the American psyche. Wicked told everyone to think again. To consider there is more to the story than you've seen and heard.
THEIR STORY
My fascination lies within that premise. When we cross paths with someone or heck work with them day in and out for years, we tend to think we know the whole story. We don't. We're getting a glimpse of a section of their story. And even our interpretation of what we see can be skewed or inaccurate, and most likely is.
Not only did the story redefine our view of the witches, it also quickly enlightened us to the back-story of the Tin-man, Lion and Scarecrow. I won't provide any spoilers if you haven't seen it and are waiting for the Wicked movie part 2, but suffice it to say, the Scarecrow is more than you think he is...
MINDSHIFT
What if you took the time this week to learn more about someone you currently have a negative perspective of?
GOOD & EVIL
What I also love about the premise is that we realize the wicked witch was really a caring, kind woman. Almost always, when we find out something about someone we didn't know, it's not positive. And we're a sucker for good gossip. Like Ga'Linda the good witch, we perceive ourselves to live on high moral ground even when we're acting in bad faith towards others.
You and I can certainly justify our own evil and call it good. When we rationalize the choices we make based on our perception of another, we flitter about in a self-constructed bubble considering ourselves above them. That inversion of truth is where our ego thrives and compassion dies. It's incredibly difficult to view someone else accurately, if that reality makes us appear a little green.
MINDSHIFT
What if you did a deep dive to assess an area of your life that may suffer from an inversion of truth where your ego is inflated?
OUR STORY
This is where it gets tricky. We're not that great at interpreting our own story. In New Mexico I did an interaction where people share out about internal or external obstacles. (My "raft message.") A lady stood up and said "Every day I disappoint someone." She perceived her life to always be letting someone down, whether work, family or friends. I suggested to her that was not true and she could think differently about her own expectations and the expectations of others.
Isn't it ironic that our human nature can simultaneously think more highly AND more lowly of ourselves than we ought?
More than anything, Wicked is a story of friendship. To interpret our own story accurately, we need good friends who care enough about us to challenge and confront, as well as encourage and comfort. More irony...
We can't see ourselves clearly without the input from others.
SHIFTING: I hope this week you defy gravity by giving someone you don't particularly care for, another chance. Extending grace to others and yourself is the best way to avert being wicked. #ShiftAway
