“We see people and things not as they are, but as we are.”

Anthony DeMello

You may have to look at the words – Conscience and Conscious – a couple times to see the difference.  I did.  Slightly different letters but quite different meanings – so close yet so far.  In these upside- down all-around times of trying to figure out Covid, politics, and what’s for dinner at the same time, let’s try something different to get us on course:

Conscience vs Conscious

Conscience is that little canary on your shoulder telling you what’s good or bad.

Conscious is seeing sharply straight ahead with the birdie off your shoulder.

Those canaries can help us, but can hurt us too –  especially when they stay too long and poop all over our shoulders.  When we shew those little birdies away our vision expands.  Perhaps we’ll even be able to see each other!  Wow!

What’s guiding you – your conscience or consciousness?

Here’s an experiment to try…

Think of a comment someone made to you at some point that offended you.  A comment that made you simmer by the insult.

Imagine that same comment being said instead to someone different than you – maybe someone from a different upbringing or a different culture.  How might this other person respond to this same comment?  Put yourself for a moment in their shoes.

Now imagine that insult being hurled at a comedian you think is funny.  Can you imagine their response?

From your unique bird’s eye view, you’ll likely see reality somewhat different than what your neighbor sees or I see, and most definitely from what that comedian sees – which is a good reason why we love comedians!  They remind us the world can be spun left or right and transformed into a new vision. The best comedians bring up experiences we’re all familiar with, twist them into new shapes – see them through new lenses – and develop hilarious scenarios to what started out as commonly shared irks.  They help us roar into laughter rather than charge into combat.  They expand upon our vision!

So, next time an offensive remark makes you recoil, think of how someone different than you might respond – think of someone perhaps with kind eyes and a half grin (ok, my birdie suggested that).  This simple exercise can help us realize there are multiple ways to respond to any given situation.  There are so many canaries hangin’ around out there on so many shoulders.  Try shewing yours away every once in a while to gain a new view.  Let ‘em fly!   Rest assured that canary will be back, and hopefully with an enlightened perspective too.