Pretty, isn’t it? (A lesson in assumptions)

As we pulled out of the driveway on the way to school this morning, my son, Brody said, “Oh, look at the tree.”

“The purple one? Oh yeah, it’s pretty, isn’t it?” I replied.

The one in the picture above – it is pretty, isn’t it? At least, that’s what I thought.

Brody had a different take:

“That’s a bad sign, it means the bees are coming back,” he said.

Ah, yes… Of course. Brody has an intense fear of bees, and the bees do love this tree. He didn’t see the beauty. He saw a warning. The purple blooms signal the return of the bees, which means his outside play time is ruined – in his mind, at least.

And the little guru who taught me the meaning of a moment is still teaching me all these years later…

Today’s lesson: They’re not seeing what you’re seeing.

That goes for your kids, your partner, your boss, your team members, your clients, your friends… They’re all seeing the world through their own lens.

Even something like purple blooms on a tree? We can’t at least agree that that’s a beautiful sight? Nope.

Make no assumptions.

Where might you apply this awareness in your life or work today?

This moment matters, always.

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