What's Not There?

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What a lovely home, probably somewhere out in the country.  From the crops on left, this must be a farm. From the swing set, they probably have kids (or grandkids).  The house seems to be fairly modern (look at the windows) and well maintained.  The horses look healthy.

What’s the story about this house and family?  Are they ‘weekend’ farmers who commute to jobs during the week?  Does one of them, or both, work from home? Are they full-time farmers, with the land being the main source of income?  Hard to know.

But what’s missing? Look at the photo; what’s missing?

See any cars or trucks?  Maybe the people are not at home – they’re at the store or work or a kid’s soccer game. Look closer.  Do you see any power lines going to the house? Hum… Maybe the power lines are buried.  That could be, but given the size of this house and probable acreage, I kind of doubt it. 

This is an Amish house in Lancaster County, PA.  

What if we look at what’s missing instead of just what’s there?

What if we ask why something we’d normally expect to be there isn’t?

What are we assuming is in the picture because it usually is?

What if folks are just fine with not having what’s missing?

What if they didn’t know they could even have what’s missing?

What will we discover if we start looking at what’s Not There? 

Who Are You?

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When you meet someone at a party, an event, in the store, at a school, what do we usually ask? “What do you do?” or if you’re in college, “What’s your major?”

There are many ways in which others define us and we define ourselves:

·      Job, title, level;

·      Mom, Dad;

·      Daughter, son, sibling;

·      Aunt, Uncle.

·      College, university, and major or degree;

·      Home town, city, country;

·      Ethnicity;

·      Nationality(ies);

·      Religion;

·      Political leaning;

·      Talents;

·      Causes, volunteer efforts;

·      Board roles;

·      Combinations and integrations of the above;

·      None of the above – something else.

How do you really want to be identified? To be known? You may answer differently depending on where you are in your life and what matters.  That’s normal. But when you strip away all your functions and roles, at a very fundamental, who are you? What do you want to be known for? And why?