This afternoon, Barry and I took a trip to Ashland to see Zeb Lancaster, our Rolfer who wanted to try a new relationship coaching technique on us.
He apparently did that for 15 years before becoming a Rolfer, and has a new office with bigger treatment rooms, so he needed some “guinea pigs” to try out some exercises.
The main thing we did was to see how close to each other was “comfortable” while still maintaining our own space. But we actually preferred to be close together, touching each other in a sort of embrace, which can apparently potentially cause problems, just like being too distanced can.
If you’re “too close” to each other, then when one person gets upset or emotional, both end up getting rocked because they’re in the same boat.
When you can have some distance from each other — still remain connected, but be centered in your own space — then one can rock his or her own boat while the other remains steady and supportive.
It was a very interesting experience, because I never would have thought that.
So we used colored strings to map out on the floor where our own space was, as well as a part where the strings wound together… showing togetherness and individuality at the same time.
When you’re dealing with relationships, which are mirrors… especially when the mirror is as reflective as ours is sometimes… you can lose that individuality if you’re not careful.
It was also intriguing to hear a third party repeating back what we were saying in his own words. That definitely made the need for clear conversation… well, clear! 😉
Then after the string session with Zeb, Barry and I went to Medford, where the only mall in the area is. The main goal was to get his ear pierced… something he’s been wanting to do for some time, but it took support and encouragement from me to finally make it happen.
We actually got his ear pierced about a week ago too… but the lady misplaced the hole by just a millimeter or two, and it looked unbalanced. So we took it out and let it heal, ready to try again… but since she was one of only two people who do piercings in Grants Pass, we had to go to the “big city” to have it done right.
It’s never too late to correct something and make sure it’s done the way you want it.
It’s better to go ahead and do something — and fix it later — than to not do something at all.
Ready… Fire… Aim.
Much better this time around, and he got a pair of silver star-shaped studs for his starter set. But since he only got one hole, I got the second star.
Then we found another photo booth — surprise, surprise, suddenly they’re showing up everywhere — and this one made pictures into a drawing or painting style, so we got one that looks like a charcoal drawing (shown at the top of this post).
It was funny, they gave you three poses, but the timing on the picture taking wasn’t clear.
Always be clear in your own communications… but you can’t always expect the same from others, so ask for clarification if required.
On the first one Barry wasn’t looking at the camera, and on the second one I wasn’t looking at the camera, so this was the only one that had us both looking (and even though it wasn’t my favorite, we chose it because it was the best all around).
Always be willing to make sacrifices and compromises for the good of the “team”.
Speaking of “teams”, we had a lot of discussion in Zeb’s session about our company as a team, and our relationship as a team, so this was a good way to end the day.
Unfortunately we didn’t get Barry’s new earring in the picture, because it’s his left ear that got pierced, and that got hidden by my hair as we both tried to fit in the little circle on the photo booth screen. Ah, well…
It’s the intention that counts.
Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life
