Joy Gilfilen

What a trip it was to go to Niagara Falls!  I just saw one of the greatest wonders of the world!  Twenty percent (20%) of all the fresh water in the world goes through this waterfalls!   The way they write is it this…’experience one-fifth of the world’s fresh water crashing 13 stories to the basin below…over 2800 cubic meters of water thunders over the rim at 65 kilometers per hour!’  It is fast.  It is big.

It drains the five great lakes of the North American Continent…flowing out to the Atlantic Ocean! To me that is like seeing the water flush through the kidneys of Mother Earth.

My friend, Loretta, and I got to go underground in a tunnel behind the waterfalls where all we could see was the water thundering down in front of us…shooting back up, going sideways!  The ionization effect was like a jolt of energizing sizzle to our cells!  Incredible.  The smell was awesome – totally refreshing!

At high season over 34 millions gallons of water a minute – right now only about 19 million at the end of summer!  It is stunning in its power!  Invigorating!  I was spellbound and magnetized!

There are two falls actually next to each other…one called the American Falls, one the Canadian or Horseshoe Falls.  The border and an island divides them.  We took a tour boat down to the bottom of the falls…and the amount of water spray simply drenched us for the water drops over 45′ and then creates a riot of currents below.  The depth at the base is over 54′.  My heart overflowed with love of the richness of nature!  Awesome.

It means so much to me to be able to feel such magnificence.  I am so proud of the Canadian and American governments for preserving this park and making it so people can safely get up close and personal with it.  It is an honor to be allowed to connect with Mother Earth.

I just got a wake up call about inadvertant miscommunication and understanding the context of where you come from.  I am in a relatively big city – Toronto – having a great conversation with someone. This person looks similar to me…same skin color, same accent using English, laughs at the same jokes I have been, we discuss family, jobs….we are bonding I think. On the same page.

Then I ask a straightforward question like, “Where is Lake Ontario from here, how far is it?”

Delighted to help, they answer, “Once you get to the subway station, it is twenty minutes to downtown, then you have to either walk or take a bus.”  They smile, pleased with themselves, happy to have the right answer.

Go figure.  To me, that is no answer at all. I still have no idea how far it is or where from here.  I did not realize that I am completely out of context.  I am a country girl.  I want to know what direction it is -  North, South, East, or West.  I want to know how many miles it is from where I am standing right now.  They have no idea I am lost in the city.  I need orientation…landmarks.  That is how I get my bearings.

So I ask the clarifying question…what direction is it?  How many miles to where the lake is?  They look at me dumbfounded.  They have no idea.  I look at them dumbfounded.  They don’t know where they are.  They are in the city…and everything they know is relative to the subway.  They live by commuting underground.  I realize they have no idea where the sun rises and sets…they can’t see it because there are skyscrapers all around. They have no idea how many miles…they can’t travel that way.  There are highways, and subways and cross overs.

Wow.  Do you know, I have been in the city for over a week now, and I still have no idea how far I am from Lake Ontario? I’ve even seen it by train, but I have no idea where it is.

Context.  It matters in communicating effectively.

It is an irony.  This person is still a great person, and so are all the other people I have asked the same question of.  None of them give me the answer I seek.

Now, think that is funny?  Here is another.  Right now I am looking at a city map…and there is no mileage scale, or no North-South Direction finder on it.  It appears that it is irrelevant.

Who are these wonderful people who are just like me?  Where am I?  I laugh every time I go anywhere.  I have no idea…and neither do they.  It’s all relative.  Relative to the system we think by…relative to our childhood upbringing…relative to the time, place and context we are in.

We have a good time anyway.  Nice folks.  Fun conversation.  And, before I leave, I am determined to find out where and how far I am from Lake Ontario.  I have an idea…but it will take a bit more sleuthing.

Hello again friends!

I’m off on another adventure.  I will be leaving in the middle of the night on Monday (or nearly) to head to Toronto until mid-November.

I’ll be visiting a dear friend, using the time to write and produce reports, books, and new seminars.

I’ll stay in touch by blog, and will be adding items to our new websites as they become available!

Welcome to my redesigned website!

I just returned from a visit with potential collaborator’s in San Francisco, and am excited about all the upcoming products we’ll be sharing with you…stay tuned!