Patterns

Awhile ago, I updated my facebook with this:

"Some people's patterns are like the fabrics that make up Don Cherry's suits : Obvious and screaming "Look at me! I'm making a statement!". You may not like what's being said, but even if you turn down the volume, that fabric is still staring you in the face".

I typically get a lot of comments on my facebook statuses and that one was pretty much ignored. I suspect because people didn't understand my point. I do have a lot of American friends, and Don Cherry is a Canadian icon, so I can understand the Yankees not getting it, but I also think it's a bit ambiguous or simply doesn't make sense. So, let me explain....

If you were born in Canada, and if you have a pulse, chances are that when you were young you were introduced to "Hockey Night In Canada", our weekly Saturday night fill of NHL Hockey. It's been a Canadian institution and has been for, what seems like, forever. Don Cherry's "Coach's Corner" is a staple of that broadcast. Between the 1st and 2nd periods, Don and his right hand man, Ron Maclean, discuss hockey. Or, rather, Don basically shares his very sharp and one sided opinion about what is going on in hockey. All the while, wearing the most outrageous custom made suits. Some people love Don and his outspoken opinions, other people dislike him. People that like him ( like me) stop what they are doing and watch/listen to Don for that brief time. Others mute his segment. His outspoken personality is predictable (although not always what he says) and his suits are always outrageous (even though they are never the same).

Here's the thing; People can mute his segment, but even if they catch it for a second and change the channel they usually catch a glimpse of Don's very loud suits. They make their own statement. You can try to ignore them, but week after week, there they are: demanding to be noticed.

What does this have to do with people's patterns?

When you get to know someone quite well, or have the pleasure/displeasure of associating with them often, you pick up on their patterns. Perhaps they are always late. Maybe they embellish details every time they tell a story. Some people have addictive personalities and predictable patterns of abuse/remorse/manipulation. Others are incongruent with what they say vs. what they do. Either way, we all have patterns.

Those of us who recognize the patterns in others, yet allow them to continue also have a pattern of allowing that to happen against our better judgment.

I'm a big observer of patterns. I have mine memorized. I often don't recognize them until I'm in full on "pattern" mode, but I do see them. When others see them, and point out my flaws, I'm grateful. I try to take that input and adjust my patterns accordingly, if it's for the better (which it usually is).

I see them in others all the time too. And I file them away in my memory bank for future reference.

Lately I have been withdrawing those references and putting them together like a puzzle - or if we are still using the Don Cherry example - like a suit.

I take the recurring behavior that I see in someone and lay it out on the table. I piece it together with other indications of the same behavior from that person and piece by piece, the entire fabric of the situation starts to show me the entire picture, or suit, if you will.

Sometimes it's a beautiful suit and it fits me. It's made of beautiful fabric, has a nice texture, and is incredibly comfortable. There might be a few loose buttons or a snag here or there, but those flaws never ruin the integrity of the suit. In many cases, they add character.

Other times, I find that the suit doesn't quite fit. It may have, at one point. Or, I may simply have been in denial mode. (We all have a pair of jeans sitting in the closet that we are saving for a time when we were the size we used to be) Let's face it, sometimes I've grown and I've changed and those jeans or that suit just don't fit me the same way. Maybe the fabric is outdated. Perhaps the zipper is broken. Or, it could just be that the fabric is plain old ugly and I'm not even sure what compelled me to add that garment to my closet.

Lately, I've been cleaning out my closet. For some garments ( people ) I have simply shuffled them around the closet to the "less often worn" section, and other pieces have been entirely removed. Some outfits need some extra TLC and they are put aside for further care and mending. And, yes, some are put in the "When I change back to who I was" pile.

Here's the deal. I'm not going to change back to who I was. It's impossible. I'm on a fast-paced journey at the moment. And my new fabric is bright, light and comfortable. The items in the "when I change back..." pile are usually tight and constricting and often give me "muffin top".

The people in my life who are incongruent in their behavior, or the ones who aren't ready to get real and update their fabric are going to be left behind. And they will likely be paired up with separates, in someone else's closet, that compliment them. And that's okay.

If you are in my life, I'm watching you. Mostly because I love you, and I love having you in my life. I love watching human behavior in action.

I'm not judging, I'm just noticing.

And just as I know I'm not fooling you, or hiding my patterns from you, I can't be fooled either.