At first, I was getting cold feet about forging a cold stream last weekend.
We had two choices when we saw submerged steppingstones on the trail; backtrack or plunge ahead. My hands were already cold since I just lost a glove to a photo opportunity. I had set down my gloves on a rock upstream. A gust of wind had carried one off and plopped it into the rushing waters. Now, we were downstream and my hiking partners wanted to go forward, not backward.
I weighed the options and decided to cross those icy waters. Smartwool® socks and warm hiking boots made all the difference as we continued along the trail. Looking back on that experience, I realize a cold stream symbolizes the choices we make about communications.
When do we backtrack or use the tried-and-true methods for communicating? When do we plunge ahead to try something different? Testing icy waters or new approaches can seem rather daunting at times. And, a few choice words may be involved. In my opinion, the crossing is worth it for what you may find on the other side.
Please feel free to share this post or your own experiences with choices.