by tlcautocarecom on October 28, 2011
A professor in school years ago made a point which has stuck: There is no perfect position, every position has strengths and weaknesses. When we argue for our position, we argue the strength of ours which lines up with the weaknesses of the other side and makes our position look strong. However, the other side also has strengths, which line up with the weaknesses of our own position. The end result is when two sides argue, they seldom talk to one another.
Perhaps no area shows this more right than politics. Listening to either side will give one the impression that there is only one right position to consider and all others are wrong. Both sides in the political environment we have been in for several years now are guilty of this, both sides ignore the weaknesses inherent in their position and speak authoritatively for their position and denigrate their opposition.
Unfortunately, this shuts down dialogue and entrenches division. This creates an Us vs. Them climate and ignores opportunity for a broader approach which may also help to prevent unforeseen problems from happening. This scenario will then deepen the divide and promote polarizing parties and leave the minority with little recourse to achieve their idea of right. So, if the leading party is not able to do all it wants to do unimpeded, it can then paint the other side as obstructionist, making the problem worse.
In his book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey identified traits among those he interviewed. Two of these traits are relevant to this problem. First, he found that highly effective people seek first to understand, then to be understood. If we know others are taking the time to understand us, we will not need to yell and scream, rather we can discuss and both sides will understand one another and all can find fair representation in the final decision.
The second trait (or habit) which is appropriate here is that of seeking a win/win solution. It is possible that in seeking to win, we could end up losing. This seems to be happening a lot in politics, and the reaction of both sides is to point blame at the other side.
The reality is, we need each other, if for no other reason than to keep us in balance so we do not get so full of ourselves that we lose sight of the consequences of our choices. Practicing these habits (along with his 5 other habits) in our marriages, families, at work and civic areas, we can begin a process of establishing habits that can serve us all. If we can do this, perhaps then we can influence our politicians and elected officials to do the same and end this entrenched partisanship in which there are more losers than winners. Perhaps then we can move forward together towards a time of true solutions to the challenges that face us all.
Andy & Julie
by tlcautocarecom on September 21, 2011
If you were to ask someone where they were at 1:00 pm on November 22, most would not remember where they were on any November 22. However, ask someone older than 55 where they were on November 22, 1963 at 1:00 and they will tell you. It is because they know where they were and what they were doing when they heard that President Kennedy had been shot. The nation was stunned and we all mourned. I was in 5th grade and had just come in from lunch recess when we were told.
Similarly, those of us who are 18 or older will also recall where we were when we heard on September 11, 2001 and what we were doing. I was driving to work and heard the first reports on the news. It did not hit me, until I was watching the news and saw the second plane fly in and the ball of fire that erupted. I remember how stunned we were at work that day, spending most of the time watching TV and seeing the Twin Towers collapse, the looks on the faces of people covered in dust and ash. We were numb, as a part of us was hurting, and hurting badly. And, many in the world mourned with us.
Perhaps we had gotten lazy, thinking the tragedies we heard of too often from terrorist attacks in England, Germany, Israel, and other places in Europe and around the world never seemed to cross the Atlantic pond and come to our shores. Somehow, we were beyond the reach. Sure, flying in an airplane was easy, but it was even easier before a rash of hijacking to Cuba. We could go where we wanted, do what we wanted with little or no interference or delay.
Many things have changed since then, most noticeably in the areas of security and our military. The debates will range for years about their necessity or effectiveness. There were other areas of change, very noticeable. People slowed down and were less aggressive in their driving. We were politer to everyone, quicker to lend a hand. Church attendance was up and families stayed closer. It took a bit of time, but slowly, perhaps after the first of the year, we began to go back to where and what we were.
It is good to take time to remember; just as it is good for us to take time to remember December 7, 1941 (I wonder if they still play the famous “This day will go down in infamy” speech by FDR in school as they did for many years). It helps us to remember something that helped to define us as a people, to remember us as a nation which is defined by such moments and events in our history (Bunker Hill, Crossing the Delaware, Fort McHenry and the Star Spangled Banner, Fort Sumter, Dan Brown and Harper’s Ferry, Pearl Harbor and many others. Our history tells us who we are, and those who do not take the time to know and understand their history will not understand who they are.
For all the things that divide us, we are nation that honors and respects differences and the right to be different. Different is not better or worse, it is only different. Each year we need to take time to remember, and as we do we also need to take the time to remember what it means to be an American, and how this binds us together into one nation . . .
Andy & Julie
by tlcautocarecom on August 15, 2011
It is a July morning as I am sitting at my computer writing this (Julie is reading a book). It is raining right now, but we are not dismayed. Seattle has had a lot of rain this spring and summer, so more rain is beyond annoying to many.
But, as we look out, however, our grass is green, our plants and growing and God is doing most of the water (so our water bill will be low). We can take a day off of working outside and sit quietly inside writing this and reading a good book with quiet music.
It used to be bothersome to us, when we had things we wanted to do, and something (like rain) would get in the way. We have learned, however, that life is not always about doing things. Much as we would like to get a lot of projects done (and we do have man projects to work on), relationships are more important.
We were again reminded of this recently when a good customer died without any warning. She was our age, so not old. Her health was good. No obvious problem, yet inexplicably and unexpectedly she died. There is now a hole in the lives in her family. When we heard about it, there was a mixture of numbness and disbelief for quite a while. She was a people person, and touched many, even on a business level.
It is easy to focus on the daily things and lose sight of the truly important things. To get caught up in the present, or the urgent, and lose sight of the bigger picture. If we spend our lives in today only, reacting to what goes on around us, we will be reactive in life rather than proactive and our lives will look like a wandering rather than a journey when looked back on.
This is not to say that today is not important (it is where we live), or that rain does not get in the way (sometimes it does). Sometimes and enjoy the moment, and sometimes we need to get away and get some sun. But, do we live our lives as though they are part of a bigger picture? Or do we live them in pursuit of what we want? Are we so focused on retirement, for example, that it consumes us? Is our retirement about us finally enjoying life?
Years ago we learned that life has two sides, and we cannot always choose which side comes up. What we can choose is which side we will focus on. Years ago Julie read the story of some grandparents who had some new white carpeting installed. When the family gathered for Christmas, the grandma gave each of her grandchildren a jar of honey. One child dropped and spilled all her honey onto the new carpet. Seeing her crying, the grandma kneeled down and said, “That’s Okay, we can get you another jar.” For many, the focus would be on the damage to the carpet and the mess to be cleaned, but this grandma focused on her family.
As the economy continues its gymnastics and politics seeks to take a larger role in our lives than it should, we must each ask ourselves what is truly important, and let that keep us focused in life.
Andy & Julie
by tlcautocarecom on August 10, 2011
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by tlcautocarecom on February 25, 2011
Many who have known us for a while have become familiar with our Musings, an editorial offering which we began to include in our monthly newsletter almost 10 years ago. September 11, 2001 was a defining moment for America, changing us as a society and culture. It was this moment in our history that prompted us to begin writing Musings.
America brings opportunities for choice and freedom, but with that opportunity also comes responsibility, responsibilities that can be easy to forget. One key responsibility that falls to each of us is to make informed decisions. This is especially challenging today when voices are all around us which tell us only part of the story to convince us to support their idea of the truth. In Musings, we sought to move people to think, mostly about life, but also about sometimes even about current issues as well. More than anything else, we wanted people to think as we would challenge ourselves to do the same. We hoped we to do a small part in encouraging us to all take seriously our responsibility as an American to live intentionally and to express our voice when appropriate.
The subjects in Musings varied, and were often prompted by life, or by a book or movie. Sometimes an idea may be prompted by something that is important to us. Most of the time, it appeared Musings gave us a chance to think things through, and in so doing hopefully to prompt others to think as well, to muse.
As costs and expenses have risen, ways to decrease those expenses became necessary. It is a fact of life. So, we are now doing our Musings as a blog post on our website. When one is posted, all who are TLC AutoCare fans on Facebook or Twitter will be notified.
Like most of us, we tire of someone always marketing us to spend more money with their company. But, we are a family business, so we see work as part of life. For us, business is about taking care of people and their vehicles, not about making money. It is our hope here at TLC AutoCare that you will come to appreciate our efforts to put something out that has nothing to do with cars, selling you anything or getting you to come in and spend money. Yes, we do want you as a customer, but Musings are about prompting you think about life, and in the process helping you to know something about us as people.
We hope you will enjoy Musings and will return often to read more. If there is interest, we may go back through our archives and post some of our past Musings. Please let us know if you enjoy.
Andy & Julie
