Month: December 2022

I was backing out of a parking space at the grocery store and saw that a man in a pickup truck was waiting for my space so I backed out further. The woman across from me also saw that the pickup was waiting, but she did not see me (or vice versa). You can guess what happened next.

After the impact, we both pulled back into our spots and got out to assess the damage (which fortunately was minimal). Yet the man in the truck pulled by without so much as a second glance.

Another witness came up the aisle and was ranting about the man in the truck: “Why didn’t he honk? Why did he just sit there and watch you two hit each other?  What was he thinking?!” I wondered that myself.

In many ways, the man who watched and did nothing was as much at fault as the woman who backed into me. He had a bird’s eye view of impending trouble and did nothing. I guess he was thinking that it was not his problem.

Do you find yourself in situations where you act like the man in the truck — staying out of situations where you could be of assistance because you aren’t really involved? The thing is that you are involved because you are seeing the situation and you are a member of the community where it is happening. You have an obligation to “honk” — either literally or in a more formal or verbal way — when something wrong is taking place. Don’t just sit there and watch a wreck happen — in a parking lot or in your organization.

I recently met someone who was in the process of legally changing their first name. Most people never have that opportunity so it got me wondering what name I would choose for myself if I had that option. It would certainly not be my given name, rather it would be a name that was the same as what I was actually called. (Given the choice, I think my favorite would be nickname/abbreviation-free Hannah — even spelled the same forwards and back.)

But instead of pondering the name that you would choose for yourself, take a minute to consider the name you would make for yourself. When people think of you, what characteristics come to mind? In what niche do you excel? Have you made a reputation for traits that you admire?

You may be able to legally change your name, but it’s a lot harder to change what that name stands for to other people.  

Originally published in modified form on June 16, 2013

There was a white blur moving around just outside my backyard fence.  The dogs were going nuts barking at it.  It would get closer, then move along the fence then back away.  The dogs were wild.

When I came out to see what was causing the ruckus, I realized that it was just a plastic grocery bag floating around in the wind.  I was able to eliminate the distraction with ease.

Sometimes, what has you upset is really only an illusion.  Look closely at what your perceived problem is before you get riled up about it.  Maybe it’s not at all what you think it is.