Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago · 2 min. reading time · ~10 ·

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The Things You Learn From Those You Love

The Things You Learn From Those You Love

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Gilda Radner was a favourite on Saturday Night Live some years back before her life was tragically ended by cancer.  Before she passed on, she wrote a book called It's Always Something.

While I haven't read the book, there is a story in it that has circulated, and I was recently reminded of it again.  As such, I thought I'd share it with you along with the musing that came to me.

Here's the excerpt.  (Dibby was Gilda’s housekeeper):

When I was little, Dibby told me a story about her cousin who had a dog – just a mutt – and the dog was pregnant. I don’t know how long dogs are pregnant, but she was due to have her puppies in about a week. 
She was out in the yard one day and got in the way of the lawnmower and her two back legs got cut off. They rushed her to the vet who said, "I can sew her up, or you can put her to sleep if you want. But the puppies are OK – she’ll be able to deliver the puppies. Dibby’s cousin said, "keep her alive." 
So the vet sewed up her backside and over the next week that dog learned how to walk. She didn’t spend any time worrying; she just learned to walk by taking two steps in the front and flipping up her backside and then taking two more steps and flipping up her backside again. 
She gave birth to six little puppies, all in perfect health. She nursed them and then weaned them. And when they learned to walk, they all walked like her.

This story got me thinking about all the things I learned through my life from those I both love and / or respected.  These were ideas about life that defined it. Things like:

  • What is possible?
  • What hinders me?
  • Who or what has value?
  • What's the most important thing in life?
  • And so on.
These are the things that help you define "normal".

But like these puppies, sometimes our teaching had limitations.

While the mother overcame her adversity and learned to scoot around without hind legs, all her pups has perfectly good hind legs but missed out on the potential of using them, because they got their version of 'normal' from their mom. "They all walked like her".

We should celebrate and respect the legacy we got from our parents, leaders and mentors.  We should also be very cognitive that we are defining normal for those who follow us.

But let's ensure that the constraints of our mentors are not imposed on us to limit our potential.  

Make sure that you are:
  • Willing to have your version of 'normal' questioned.
  • Open to new ideas, (but weigh them against standards of truth)
  • Trying new things constantly to discover your potential.
  • Willing to be taught new skills.
  • Cognitive that you do not impose your constraints on those who follow you.
I think this ties in well with some other posts I've done recently on how we can self-sabotage our potential. Check out the following posts:
Perhaps the 'puppy story' brought out something different for you?  Feel free to share in the comments below.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Image: Licensed under Creative Commons

This post has been previously published on my blog Turning Technology Invisible

About the Author:

0b9bae10.jpgI'm the Chief Information Officer for Appleby College, in Oakville, Ontario Canada, where my team is transforming the delivery of education through innovative application of technology.

I'm convinced that IT leadership needs to dramatically change how IT is delivered rather than being relegated to a costly overhead department.

In addition to transforming IT in my role as CIO, I look for every opportunity to talk about this... writing, speaking and now blogging on BeBee (https://www.bebee.com/@kevin-pashuk) , LinkedIn, ITWorld Canada, or at TurningTechInvisible.com.

I also shoot things... with my camera. Check out my photostream at www.flickr.com/photos/kwpashuk



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Comments

Pedro 🐝 Casanova

7 years ago #11

And there is people feeling depressed because they arent getting " LIKES " in their Facebook page. That dog has all the excuses ...instead she lived the day by day. And here we are.....suppossedly more intellegent than animals and feeling bad because....any stupid excuse we might came up with...

Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago #10

#12
Thank you Susan Rooks. I heard this story years ago, and it comes up every so often as just the right illustration about adversity and mentorship.
Deb Helfrich, that's a story that will stay with me for quite a while, being the dog lover that I am. Overcoming adversity shows up in myriad ways, and that momma dog sure made the most of what she still had to work with. Why should any of us do less? Thank you!

Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago #8

#9
' Walking funny in our thought processes' Nice way to look at it Deb Helfrich

Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago #7

Thanks for visiting and commenting Julie!

Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago #6

#6
You point out the essence of a great story Sara Jacobovici - that each reader can draw out differing facets. The story of Dibby's dog is often told, but I'm always amazed at what readers hear, and apply from this story. Thanks for your comment.

Sara Jacobovici

7 years ago #5

I like seeing a different perspective than mine when reading the same story Kevin Pashuk, it makes me think. And I thank you for that. The story is thought provoking and a thought I had relates to survival and bonding. The mother survived and adapted. The puppies bonded with her and learned from her. There is no doubt that since they have their hind legs they will grow to use them. What they learned is "another way" of doing things, an experience they will have to compare with the "norm".

Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago #4

#4
Thanks for commenting Debbie O'Halloran! It's been said that normal is relative... but then, they haven't met my relatives.

Randy Keho

7 years ago #3

#2
Aliens like to watch re-runs of Saturday Night Live as case studies. Kevin Pashuk

Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago #2

#1
So... what are you REALLY saying about 'The Donald' Randy Keho?

Randy Keho

7 years ago #1

Don't tell anybody, but that's how I identify aliens -- the outer space kind. They always imitate what they've observed from afar. That explains Donald Trump. Kevin Pashuk

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