Day 4 - 162 -- Navigating the Greyness

A conversation last week dealt with navigating the greyness of life. Humans seem prone to dichotomize the world -- good/bad, black/white, right/wrong and so on. Professionally, we run into this in terms of healthy/unhealthy or eat/don't eat lists. Neither of these are as clear cut as people try to make them. I spoke of the challenge of facilitating critical thinking as an educator. The dichotomy would be easier to explain and manage, yet it just doesn't exist. I've heard people tell me that they dislike the grey zone and just want to work with black and white. This is where wants and needs don't mesh well, since as a health professional it will be like the rest of life -- varying shades of grey. Definitive answers would be helpful for health professionals to provide and others to receive. Yet, most situations deal with multiple factors, so a single response that fits all situations is impossible.

In many areas of life a simple yes/no choice would be so much easier. I understand the frustration of people with minimal science background to begin to understand the complexities. If a health professional is telling us about a health problem, emotions cloud understanding. When it is more complex and less either/or understanding just becomes more difficult. Learning ways to communicate clearly is a key for those holding the information. That can be challenging but necessary.

There are many songs that deal with the complexities of life and how these increase as we age. I will share my favourite here today. It is written by Mann and Weil a songwriting team from the '60s. One other song has lyrics that note that the more we learn the less we know -- how true. I'll share that song today, too. Enjoy!

Shades of Grey -- The Monkees

Shades of Grey -- Billy Joel