Happy New Year Troglodytes!

Rock collectors know about the other side. They pick up a smooth looking rock only to find a rough and dirty side underneath. Sometimes they get lucky and both sides are smooth, perhaps gleaming from eons spent rolling around in a river somewhere. The rock collector is always searching for the perfect rock and yet loves coming across unusual imperfections. Those natural flaws make the collection unique. 

Likewise with humans searching for the perfect soul mate, candidate or best friends, are facing  a gravel-strewn driveway along the path of life. Rarely is someone the same on all sides. Divorce lawyers know this. Congress knows this and we know it too but in our quest for smooth perfection, we forget about how imperfections create the most amazing and memorable collections. How many days are we going to waste looking for something that isn’t valuable, interesting or exciting anyway? Do we really want cookie-cutter friends, Stepford wives and Teflon-coated candidates? Are we looking for humans or blowup dolls made in a factory? Sadly, some folks would rather opt out completely rather than experience any discomfort or heartbreak.

My personal feeling is that once we see our own faults, it’s easier to accept the complimentary blemishes of others. Think prehistoric and yet highly civilized--like a mortar and pestle—two rocks—forged out of stone to work together. Cavemen merged with other tribes and ensured our survival by showing them new skills. Here in 2016 when war, anger and frustration still continue to rock the world with violence, it might be a good time to remember the things that brought us this far. The progress that creates workmanship, teamwork and amazing technological wonders began and begins one simple step at a time.

My New Year’s wish for everyone— is hoping that before selecting our friends and leaders, we can remember to accept differences and vagaries with the understanding that reality has many multiple and fascinating dimensions-like a rock!