“Everybody on the left, give me three strong forward strokes!” the whitewater raft guide shouted. Those on the left dug in, pulling the raft away from a churning vortex. For several hours, they’d learned the importance of listening to the guide’s instructions. His steady voice enabled six people with little rafting experience to work together to plot the safest course down a raging river.
Life has its share of whitewater rapids, doesn’t it? One moment, it’s smooth sailing. Then, in a flash, we’re paddling like mad to avoid suddenly swirling whirlpools. Those tense moments make us keenly aware of our need for a skilled guide and the need to work together to navigate turbulent times. Well, if ever there was a time to bring fresh voices together to navigate turbulent times, it is now.
Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone’s hand is the beginning of a journey. At other times, it is allowing another to take yours.
– Vera Nazarian
Let’s Bring Our Fresh Voices Together
In times of chaos & uncertainty and even in times of peace & tranquility, we’re simply better together —which is why we’ve constructed a 360° Nation virtual friendship bench “for good”. A bench where people are bound together by choice, founded upon a universal good-faith commitment to listen, understand, respect, empathize with, and support one another. A place for giving and receiving without judgment.
Now, more than ever, it’s time for less talking and more walking. It’s time for us to start rebuilding the world we all want to live in. It’s time for us to understand that what we do and how we do it makes a difference —and to decide what kind of difference we actually want to make. It’s time for rich, adult conversations in search of real action and real solutions. Let’s stop skipping across the pond. Let’s dive deeper. Let’s work towards genuine progress in how we operate and how we cooperate.
What’s The Point of it All?
We embrace curiosity, inspire collaboration, and champion deep thinking for real change. It used to be thought that the events that changed the world were things like big bombs, maniac politicians, huge earthquakes, or vast population movements, but it has now been realized that this is a very old-fashioned view held by people totally out of touch with modern thought. The things that change the world, according to Chaos theory, are the tiny things. A butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazonian jungle, and subsequently a storm ravages half of Europe. The time has come for each of us to begin “flapping our wings” to create ripples of change “for good” across the universe.
Won’t you join us?
GRAB YOUR SEAT ON OUR FRIENDSHIP BENCH
And happy chaos it is, Dennis. Let’s change the world, a fine aspiration, I’d say.
We can do it together, my friend Byron … One day, one step, one positive ripple at a time…
Many of us live our lives almost “by chance” – to live as it happens. While there are many possible paths on which to venture into the unpredictable future, there is one avenue that greatly increases our chances of doing well along the way: traveling with someone we trust. We can try to build a happy life or a successful career on our own, but why should we? “Together is better.”
Fantastic article Dennis. So well said. I love the invitation to the friendship bench. What a fantastic idea. We need a bench like that surrounding the table of kindness!
I love what you are doing here. How can I more fully join you at the bench?
Thank you, Randy. We’d love to welcome you any Thursday from Noon to 1:00 PM Eastern on The Friendship Bench. More here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-friendship-bench-360-nation-humansfirst-registration-105509317208?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb
Well said, Dennis. Those on the left side of the raft have to work with those on the right side of the raft to get to the desired point on the horizon. We paddle together or we sink together.
Your rafting analogy works well, my friend. Far too many folks these days are ditching the oars in favor of torpedoes. …
Yup… now if we could just get our “representatives” to paddle together….
Love this line: The things that change the world, according to Chaos theory, are the tiny things. It takes one person doing one act of kindness to start the change.
Thank you, Frank – please join either or both of our gatherings when you can!
Dennis, you’re right. Community building is walking together to create the world we want to live in.
In such a time as this, there’s a vacuum. Digging deep allows awareness that makes a difference.
Ahhh… and leadership awakens globally in each of us.
blessings,
Cynthia
Just brilliant, Dennis. We are truly better together. May we all learn to look toward the new and just let go of what didn’t work. Thanks for being an inspiration.
Better together indeed, Marcia – thank you!
Thank you for the great words, Dennis! I have always wondered how the societies of today evolved to such individualism that we’ve forgotten basic human care for each other. I truly hope that we have more light and gratitude for each other going forward. Life is so fragile.
Forgotten indeed, Maria. Somehow we’ve come to equate success with not needing anyone. Many of us are willing to extend a helping hand, but we’re very reluctant to reach out for help when we need it ourselves. It’s as if we’ve divided the world into “those who offer help” and “those who need help.” The truth is that we are both. … Grateful for your comments here, my friend.
Our time is indeed now to bring fresh, heart-driven and human-centric voices together to create better together with and for ALL. Change starts with me. It starts with each one of us being open to new perspectives, to inviting new perspectives so we can learn, gain new insights, and then take intentional, meaningful action to become better, create better and amplify impact TOGETHER.
I am grateful for your leadership, your commitment to being inclusive and advancing inclusion, and to bringing more humanity to our workplaces, communities, families and our one global human neighborhood.
The reality is that without inclusion and genuine human connection, concepts like vision, purpose, aim, objective, target, creativity, critical thinking, strategy, tactics, plan, development, aspiration, ambition, achievement, success, accomplishment, fulfillment, remedy, building, solution, results, education, and science would have no meaning. Thank you for always showing up, stepping up, and speaking up “for good” Brian…
Well done, Dennis! If there were ever a time to make the world we want, it would be now. Your tireless efforts are appreciated and they make a difference for so many. YOU make a difference for so many!
1+1 = We, my friend – thank you!
Truly inspiring and magical.
The human connection is the main attraction of life.
We are born to be connected. We are born from connection. We are curious upon introduction and learn from the interactions. Once we know we can let down our guards we can find it’s not that hard to be human.
Thank you for this Dennis! Your connection to me has been a butterfly shutter! And still flapping. I am very grateful to you and so many. It keeps getting better!
Grateful that we are creating “ripples” of positive change together, Paula…