We all do it. It’s the default starting point for when we want to assert something we have learned or disagree with someone else’s point. “They say…” we utter as we correct or promote our argument as justification for our behavior.

The recent pandemic and current political situation provide stark proof. Accuracy is different from objectivity — or so we used to think. We’re in a different world these days where it’s good to hold much of what we read and hear lightly. Things can and do change and so does whatever ‘They’ say, whether ‘They’ are the CDC, Fox News, or our neighbors and family.

In general, ‘They’ are those unnamed others we grant with authority for decisions we make. Perhaps we play the ‘Us and Them’ game, where ‘They’ are the opposition, the other team, the group we don’t like or want to belong to.

I have a formula of sorts for how I consume what others have to offer:

1.   Consider the source. Nothing and nobody is truly objective.

2.   Is the information, feedback, or perspective helpful?

3.   What do I want to do about it?

As always, this month’s bulletin has a plethora (love that word) of activities to consider for June. My essay — Changing the Inner Dialogue — refers to my relationship with myself. I apply the above rules as I sift through the messages chattering in my brain as well as those that come from the outside. 

The Summer issue of 3rd Act Magazine contains my wellness column, Good Intentions, in which I think about the relationship between intention and impact. I hope you check it out!

Monday, June 26, will be our last collaborative Town Hall event until September. It is about living and aging with disabilities and features Barry Long and Dave Tatro. They will share their stories and lessons for those of us who are not – or not yet – dealing with the many ways our bodies can change.

On Monday mornings in July, I will be offering four sessions at the Lifetime Learning Center on Loss, Grief, Death, and Dying. Attendance is limited so sign up through the LLC website if you are interested.

There are many other options for learning, engagement, and connection. Check them out and fit them around enjoying our glorious Northwest summer. And don’t always believe what ‘They’ say, even – or especially – about the weather!

May your June ‘bust out all over…’ If you know that reference, you are the right audience!
Rebecca