that's what that look was all about

I've just thought of what that look was all about... or at least this is the story of what I think it was saying:  "What is someone from the Facilities Department doing at a lecture on Autism?"  It was a look of exclusion.  Bewilderment of not knowing what to think when an irregular object appears in your world where everything has a certain place.  Everybody else in the room were teachers and student support staff.  What did this have to do with the person who looks after parking, temperature controls and office furniture?

To anybody that knows me I am a mind junkie, a student of thought, ideas, visions...regular or irregular the mind is fascinating.  Learning more about the humanity of people through the workings of the mind is my passion.  To me it's only natural that someone from Facilities should be there... I look after buildings but for whom??? People!!!!  The more I know about the one the more I know about the other.

The lecture on autism was a lecture on life...I could see the teachings applying across the full spectrum of people to varying degrees.  Communication skills, perceptive abilities, organizational tools, support systems.... everyone should know about these things being presented. 

Did you know that the four unwritten rules of communication are:
1.  Quantity
2.  Quality
3.  Relevance
4.  Clarity

With autistic people specialists recommend expressing direct statements when any of these rules are broken.  It's encouraged and accepted.  Why therefore is the rest of civilization excluded from being called out when these rules are broken?  If we all learned to communicate with these rules more clearly in mind and allow others to challenge us when we cross the boundries we'd all get along better, or at least more clearly.  Enough of the pretentions.

Perhaps that's what I should have done in the moment when I felt a look of "what are you doing here?"  It has taken me almost four hours to piece together the words to express what I felt in that moment.  I would like to share with this "educator" why I was there and my vision to connect with the humanity in whatever role I take on in life; Facilities Coordinator, Life Coach, Baker, Office Administrator... you name it and I'll find the human side.  It's what I do. 

I'm grateful to have received a look that took me into deep thought.  My reflections on the significance of our shared humanness reconnects me to my purpose. Thank you lady with the look....today you were my unintended but wonderfully timed muse.