I wonder how many times I’ve said,
“whatever works”?
It must be in the thousands by now.
How many times have eyes looked for support
for an out-of-the-box fix towards a solution?
Why does the weight of cultural expectation
shroud and burden every move?
[44 words]
I’m continuing to listen to lectures by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola-Estes, who speaks to the pushing out by society of those who are non-homogenous (my term) in their thoughts, beliefs, and actions. I’ve also seen some recent job-recruiting banners that are encouraging “neurodivergent” job-seekers to apply. Neurodiversity is a new term for me, even though I know only too well what it means. The two are linked. Whether it comes from biological, psychological, and/or social origins doesn’t matter. Whatever works. Let us/them be.
I am tonight’s host for dVerse’ Quadrille Monday. I say:
the challenge today is to write a quadrille – 44 words total – using the word work.
Tao Talk 
I wonder too… and how often do we have to accept the second best solution?
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Oh, Bjorn, I think all too often 😦
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The last two lines carry the punch….as does your explanation. What works for one does not necessarily work for another….and the cultural expectations/background may very well play into the decision. Somehow, may we all be one.
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Thanks much, Lillian. Cultural expectations sometimes feel like a force of nature, like gravity. It’s real work to remember that they are manufactured illusions.
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One mind, one heart, one soul, homeostasis–the unreachable star (perhaps before the Webb telescope). Dream on, push on outside the box. I have forced myself to do this in order not to be swallowed up my the new technology.
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Glenn, I know it. My older son is back in school and so far he’s taken only online classes, which is ok but he’s found them almost mind-numbingly boring because there is little human interaction. He waited too long to register this term (despite my nagging!) and had to take a face-to-face class in humanities. God does work in mysterious ways. After the first class last week, he sounds actually excited to be taking it face-to-face. Another blessing is that there will be no tests, no quizzes, but there will be 10 subjective papers he writes on topics they will cover, which will be worth 60% of the grade. The other 40% will be active participation in the classroom discussions. THIS will keep us human. Thank you for reading and your insightful comment, my friend.
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Interesting quadrille
Happy Monday
Much💛love
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Thank you, Gillena ❤
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cultural expectations suck. as for getting outside the box! lets go
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Good evening, Rog. Happy you are here. Would you care for a toddy this evening?
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something strong please. only hot chocolate available at the other places I am visiting this week.
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OK Rog, how about a double hot honey whisky with a splash of lemon?
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Cheers
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Cheers!
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Deep diving as ever – thank you for your profound hopes for the redemptive nature of our variousnesses. Clarissa Pinkola Estes writes beautifully about the magic of myth too
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Kathy, thank you very much. I’m glad you are familiar with CPE’s work. She is a world treasure as great as Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell.
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Unfortunately, many folks are very set in the way they think and do things. As such, they are not very receptive to things “they’ve never done before.” It’s easy to fall into that trap. Admittedly, it has happened to me as well!
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Christian, I understand and am like that in so many ways. I never stop resisting my inflexibility. Yet it is different I think to impose it within than to have it imposed from without?
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I think you’re right!
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Wonderful write Lisa — an incredible song! WOW, I had not heard it, but thank you so much!
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Thank you and happy to have introduced you to the song 🙂
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Fabulous duet!
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Quadrilliffic work, Lisa. I gave up worrying about culturl expectation ages ago & have felt lighter ever since. Thanks for putting us to work with such a timely prompt.
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Thanks much, Ron. Happy you’ve worked through all of that. Not easy sometimes.
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Yes! It always seems that way. Makes you think. Well done Lisa
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Christine thank you very much ❤
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That resignation to utilitarianism is hard to take, but “whatever” right?!
~Dora
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“Whatever works,” Dora! Another favorite saying of mine: “Each cat their own rat.” Utilitarianism works very well for some people. Where the problem can come in is when a person who adopts that way of living comes under attack or pressure that it’s “wrong.” That said, at a workplace, if someone were to adopt the “anti-utilitarian” philosophy, their boss may have a few words to say about it…
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“Whatever work” feels so dismissive to me. I don’t want to invest more than I have to so do what you need to and we’ll make do. Boy… how often does this happen nowadays?
Well done and thought-provoking.
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Dale, I appreciate your perspective on it. From my perspective it’s meant to be encouraging. Using my perspective (which is the only perspective I have) if someone wants to draw baby doll pants on a picture of Arnold Schwarznegger and then asks me what I think about it, should I say that’s nuts what are you doing? Or, you’re the artist, don’t ask me. Whatever works for the message you’re trying to get across.
I want to understand where you’re coming from. Can you give me an example of what you mean??
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In my case, the phrase “Whatever works” is the equivalent of the thumbs up sign (which I cannot explain why I loathe it so). I think when used in writing, you cannot express the tone. How it is said is more important. Think of responding with “it’s fine”… could mean – whatever, I don’t care or It’s good, it works. All about the tone. Whatever works for you because frankly, I don’t care and don’t want to be invested. Is that clearer in what I mean by it?
However, used as you explained it, is wonderful. It means go for it, express yourself, I am not here to judge you, the artist with her vision and it is not my place to judge or dissuade you.
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❤ ❤ ❤
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💞
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I love Women Who Run With Wolves, which is by the author you mentioned. But what blew me away here is that song “Strange” by LP! I had never heard it before, or heard of her. Listening to it gave me shivers, one of those moments that certain songs can bring. Wow.
–Shay
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Shay, happy you’re familiar with CPE. I’m gathering a whole series of her lectures and like to listen to them in the evening, when everything quiets down. That song is new to me also. I was going to use The Doors, “People are Strange” but it seemed too limiting. The way she sings “Strange” you know she feels and means every word of it. You’re right, Wow.
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There’s always more than one answer, one way to approach things. But it’s hard to get outside the box sometimes. (K)
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Kerfe you seem to get outside of the box more than most. I agree it is hard to get outside of it sometimes, especially when we don’t even know it’s there.
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Yes, that’s the hardest part–to see it.
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Beautiful, Lisa! You seem to find the most beautiful, colorful illustrations for your poems. Yes. Tell them to let us alone. Diversity is not found in a smoothy!
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Dwight, thank you very much. No it isn’t.
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I like your take on this prompt. A thought-provoking piece.
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Thank you very much. Happy the poem resonates with you, Miss Arcadia.
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Ever so often we compromise on the quality of what we should get and what we do get.
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Thanks, Sadje.
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You’re welcome
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Thought provoking indeed Lisa! A great prompt!
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Thank you very much 🙂
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What a wonderful reflection. As an educator, I want whatever works for my students, but sometimes, there’s so many roadblocks. It’s constant compromise.
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K I can imagine a school setting has to have some structure. The roadblocks are the things that don’t work. I’m glad you don’t give up on the ones who are struggling ❤
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💜I think I have determination enough to spare.
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I know what you’re saying, Lisa! Since I retired, I don’t feel so pressured.
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I hear you!
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A very thoughtful piece, Lisa.
I’ve seen “neurodivergent” used by journals and writers.
I think Dale is right about the tone in which “whatever works” is said. It could be a positive statement or dismissive.
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Thank you, Merril!
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You’re welcome!
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I think whatever works is positive. I tell people here…I don’t care how you get to the end of the road on this project…as long as you get there…it doesn’t matter what route you take as long as it gets done right.
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Max, that’s why you are a good boss. That kind of flexibility makes for happy employees and takes the pressure off.
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As a very determined ‘out-of-the-box’ thinker, I feel this. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in meetings and someone said, “this is a problem” and every head in the room swiveled to me. Expectations indeed.
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Chris, I appreciate you using that as an example. It can feel acutely uncomfortable to be “that” person, but I imagine caving in and crawling into the box would be even worse.
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Cultural expectations!! Always leading to either acceptance with resignation or not toeing the line. Lots of heartburn but I have always believed in following my heart. Very thought provoking, Li. Thanks for the wonderful prompt. ❤️
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Punam thank you for your insightful comment and it was my pleasure ❤
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You are so welcome. 🙂
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I love your questions. It will require some work to answer them.
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No worries, Mary 🙂
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Existential questions … challenging, thought-provoking, incredibly deep. A great challenge Lisa and a great poem to match.
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Helen, thank you very much ❤
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Great inquiry. I wonder what could work if there was more listening to understand instead of trying to control the outcome?
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Ali, not sure if I get what you’re saying, would you explain please??
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I understand that my comment wasn’t clear.
“Why does the weight of cultural expectation
shroud and burden every move?” – Your poem made me think of all the people boxed in by the judgement of others. If we put more energy into understand others maybe the need to control others would lessen. This would be a shift from fear to love.
I hope this is a bit clearer. Not sure?!
Your poem got me thinking and isn’t that always a sign of a good poem.
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Ali, OK thank you very much for expanding on your comment, I see what you are saying. Yes, exactly, if people wouldn’t rush to judge and dismiss it definitely could shift things from fear to love. You have a wonderful night. I always appreciate your positive and thoughtful comments.
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Women Who Run With the Wolves had a life-changing effect on me. Later I found out that she wrote part of it in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where I lived.
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Judy, it did on me as well. She turned fairy tales on their ears. There must be special magic in Cheyenne to inspire her writing. I’ve got a bunch of CDs of her lectures now where she does more analysis of old myths and stories.
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I Googled her to make sure that wasn’t just a rumor that she lived in Cheyenne when she wrote part of it. All I could discover was that she lived there now, or that she lived in Denver, or that she lived in both! The Internet can be so confusing, huh? It is so easy to find completely opposite statements, each presented as the truth.
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I know she gives lectures out of someplace out west but no idea where she lives. I also know she’s recovering with long Covid 😦
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Some day I’ll tell you in private the effect of that book on me.
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OK
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great quadrille Li! Well done! 🙂
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Carol Anne, thank you, glad you like it.
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Oh, I like this! An important pondering, indeed.
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🙂 ❤
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This is a wonderful topic. Glad you provided the info with it.
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Thank you, Sara 🙂
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Brilliant write Lisa!
Love this line “Why does the weight of cultural expectation shroud and burden every move?”❤️❤️❤️
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Thank you very much ❤
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It’s a pleasure Lisa! ❣️
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