Thoughts by Gary

Fiona

My family and I picked up our new Havanese puppy – Fiona – three weeks ago. She has been the focus of our attention since then – puppies require constant attention. She has been an absolute joy and she has shown traits that we all can learn lessons from.


Be Curious – Be Present
Like most puppies, Fiona is curious and always present – that’s how she lives every day. Everything is new to her and she explores every nook, cranny, and sound. We can learn from her and be curious about our surroundings, explore everything we see, hear, or smell, and live in the now.


Be Fearless
Most puppies shy away from loud sounds, but Fiona doesn’t, she just watches. Noise does not stop her and she is comfortable enough, that she is fearless – in play, she launches without hesitation. The lack of fear enables us to encounter new experiences.

Be Persistent
When Fiona wants something, she is tenacious. She will not stop until she gets what she wants, even if we pull her away. This persistence is necessary in accomplishing our goals – never give up, never surrender.

Unconditional Joy
Puppies bring joy – Fiona is funny, clumsy and fun to watch. She can make a toy out of the most mundane item. Her favorite toy is a small terry cloth towel tied in a knot. It just goes to show that we can find joy in the simplest of things – they don’t have to be complex or expensive.


Unconditional Love
Puppies give unconditional love – Fiona’s unconditional love helps us live happier lives. If we spread that kind of love unto others in this world, that would be a good thing!


So…
Getting Fiona has been joyous. Don’t get me wrong, she is a lot of work, but hey, she is worth it. She has dominated our family for these past weeks and no one complains. She has increased our laughter a hundred-fold and we get to cuddle her when we need to de-stress. We all can learn a lot from Fiona – she sure knows how to live. Three Logo

 

6 Inclusivity 2

Much of the discussion around diversity is how it has not produced the desired results. I believe that a significant part of the reason why “diversity” does not work is the underlying language .


Race – This is an artificial convention created to justify slavery. Still today, society uses “race” as a means to divide humankind discriminating against “those” whose characteristics either describe what they want to be a part of or want to avoid. We even make use of the word when people with different ancestral origins marry, by calling it “interracial”. The fact is that according to science and genetics, there is only one race – the human race. The concept of “race” needs to be abolished.


Tolerance – To tolerate is to “put up with” and that’s not a healthy attitude. It’s healthier to embrace the differences, not simply tolerate them. The negative connotation of tolerance completely undermines the goal of diversity. People need to recognize that the differences make life richer so if we embrace the differences instead of putting up with them, we begin to achieve the goal of “inclusion”. Tolerance is best replaced by “embrace.”


“People of Color” – Every person is a person of color. Segregating people based on their skin color is harmful. By claiming that people who have darker skin are “people of color” only perpetuates racism. Another problem with this phrase is that the colors referred to are wholly incorrect – I’ve never seen a “white” or a “black” person. Our skin colors are far more complex than that. This phrase does nothing but perpetuate racism.


The Census – In the USA, the Census Bureau asks people to select a “race” and it requires us to pick one, which is getting more difficult given that, today, people are more of a melting pot. It segregates us into artificial classifications. The Census Bureau only needs to stop creating "buckets" for people.


I suggest that everyone involved in “diversity and inclusion” (DEI) evolve the language. Begin by dropping “diversity” and adopting “Inclusivity” – it has a more positive connotation, include all, which always has been the desired goal of “diversity”. Inclusivity is key. Three Logo