In the course of my consulting work, I meet a lot of new people. After the initial pleasantries, there is always the question, ‘’Where are you from?” I usually say I am from Nucleus Insights. To my retort they say, “No, I want to know where you are from”.
A simple question. Not really. I am always perplexed by the question. I am not sure what the person is looking for. So, I ask ‘’What do you want to know- Where I was born? Where do I live now? Where I learned to speak English?”
When we want to know where the other is from, I believe it is not just curiosity. Often, we want to connect the dots. Confirm our assumptions and fill the gaps in the mental models we carry. We want to make sure the grid in which we plot each archetype, is accurate. When our assumptions are confirmed, there is a sense of satisfaction.
Perhaps it is more than that. There is in everyone a yearning to connect with the other at a deeper level-beyond what is seen or observed. Hear the stories, savour the tastes, experience the inner terrains that have shaped our individual awareness. Traverse the distant horizons and drink from the same well. Feel refreshed and come home together.
Whatever the reason, I am always left asking myself, where am I really from? Thank you for asking.
#whererufrom #Tuesday2cents