Remember the Sesame Street song, “One of these things is not like the other?” It continues, “One of these things just doesn’t belong.” Backed by a jaunty little tune, the lyrics entice the listener to find the unmatched item. Interestingly, the song isn’t just for kids anymore. Do you notice the incongruities that surround you? They’re quite fascinating.
For example, during many rallies and events related to Breast Cancer Awareness, you might find pink cupcakes, pink M&M’s, and all kinds of other sugar-infused pink treats. At the same time, studies indicate that too many sugar calories may result in weight gain, which may result in a higher risk of getting breast (and other) cancers. Here’s another example: The latest and greatest leadership studies show that emotional intelligence, team-infused corporate culture, and work/life balance are critical elements for a productive workplace. At the same time, surveys indicate that the majority of employees in the U.S. are dissatisfied with their work, often because they work for a boss who micromanages or leads from a place of fear and need for power.
Incongruities have a way of sneaking into our lives–both external truths and internal truths. I’ve been pondering the verse from the Christian scripture –“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” It seems more and more difficult to find “truth”. It’s a conundrum, isn’t it? The Sesame Street song asks young listeners to call out a blue circle among the set of red triangles. Grown-up mismatches aren’t that simple. It’s one thing to talk about the mismatches in life that surrounds us. What about the incongruities in our own life? When did you last ask yourself, “Why am I resistant to _________ ?” I know I’ve become a victim of myself . . . laying blame for not facing truths about myself. I use the word “victim” intentionally here. It’s an easy place to land in truth-seeking, but that’s just it . . . it’s never going to become truth-finding until the truth is named and dealt with.
“If you guessed this thing is not like the others, then you’re absolutely . . . right!”
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