None So Blind

Over the course of several months, I had a multitude of conversations with people in different walks of life, in private and public sector jobs, from education and retail to government and services. At some point in the conversation, once I felt there was a modicum of interest in continuing it (on My part, not the other person's), I would ask: Who's the person who seeks new opportunities in your workplace?

Not once--not once--did anyone answer the question right off the bat. The most common response was open confusion. The next most-common response was to ask Me to clarify the question, always annoying as I felt the question was pretty much transparent. Which of your co-workers actively seeks new opportunities?

I received only two positive responses. One woman told Me her boss was always looking for opportunities and when I asked her to explain in what way, she spoke sourly of how he takes credit for work he didn't do and implied he might be trying to have an affair with his secretary. The other positive response was from an insurance agent who said he was the opportunity seeker in his office, but then he tells Me how bad sales have become and that he's looking for a government job because "My people need to fill a few holes."

I bet they do.

Seems that keeping one's eyes, ears and mind open in a search for opportunities is not common at all. A couple of people reacted like I'd asked them who ate babies. A few sighed and wished they saw opportunities, and whereas before I would have tried to coax them into seeing that they could, this time I let it slide. Not one made the mental leap from "wishing" to "I can if I want to."

Blame the educational system. Blame a society where blindness of this type is considered "proper." Blame it on politicians who make the word "opportunity" a synonym of "cheating." Blame it on a media that makes money off of seeing doom, gloom and despair everywhere and makes money off of making fun of hope, challenge and triumph. Blame it on Us who let this happen and do nothing when it's brought to Our attention.

Yes, blame. That's the caustic eyewash of those who want not to see. Sprayed all around Us, the none so blind. And We who keep Our eyes open to see often blink simply to disperse tears.

The Jenius Has Spoken.