Oh to have an 'ishy' life!!!

 I’m very in favour of ‘ish’.  Anyone will tell you that boundaries, structure and rules are important.  They provide a sense of security and safety to the systems or people that they protect.  However, rigid boundaries do the exact opposite.  They can create a breaking down of communication and trust.  A few years ago I did a talk at the Grand Valley Institute for Women for their Wellness week.  It was right after the Ashley Smith inquiry.  This is an example of an organization, I believe, where the rules had gotten out of control and become too rigid. It's understandable that First Responder organizations would try to create safety by using their left brains to create more protocols.   However, for a one hour talk they had me sign a 20 page document!!!   We know from the news that they had implemented rigid rules about when the staff were allowed to relate to Ashley and that she ended up killing herself.  It’so sad.  I’m not saying there is an easy answer.  I’m just saying that often it’s not as easy as creating a rule. If as a society we were a little more ‘ish’ we might be able to rebuild trust in relationships and have different outcomes. Rigid rules negate peoople's spirit   We need more communication about how situations have gotten to be out of control and more buy-in from all parties about how to pull it back into line. Yes rules.  They keep the chaos at a minimum.  (Have you ever driven in a country where no one follows the rules of the road???  Yikes!!!) But more grace, forgiveness and curiosity.  More ‘ish’.

Drawing is what Ramon does. It¹s what makes him happy. But in one split second, all that changes. A single reckless remark by Ramon's older brother, Leon, turns Ramon's carefree sketches into joyless struggles. Luckily for Ramon, though, his little sister, Marisol, sees the world differently. She opens his eyes to something a lot more valuable than getting things just "right." Combining the spareness of fable with the potency of parable, Peter Reynolds shines a bright beam of light on the need to kindle and tend our creative flames with care.