My philosophy of life can be summed up in one word: And. It’s all in my name, ANDy. I do not believe in Either/Or. Well, maybe that is a little harsh, a little Either/Orish. Let’s just say I try to avoid Either/Or situations.
Either/Or leads to disagreements, winners and losers, and war. All negative. And leads to compromise, winners and winners, and peace. All positive.
What does all of this have to do with Off the I? Maps And Ms. Google.
Susan is a gazetteer, which is another name for map lover. I am a Ms. Google fan. Mainly, because I am hopeless with maps.
On our OTI trips, Susan opened her Gazeteer and talked and pointed north and east with great authority. I nodded sagely, just like I did when my Daddy lectured me and when my math teacher explained algebra. Being a teacher, Susan tested me. I failed. Miserably.
Susan could have made fun of me, in an Either/Or kind of way. She didn’t, although she did roll her eyes and sigh a couple of times. None of us is perfect.
When we were forced to resort to Ms. Google, I cocked my head with a superior air and smiled at Susan smugly. Refer to the “None of us is perfect.” comment above. It could have gotten ugly from here, but I remembered And. And means you have to listen to the other side. Either/Or was looking good to me at this point. Keep remembering that “None of us…” line.
Susan is a good teacher. She patiently repeated. She cajoled. She praised the tiniest bit of improvement. One day it dawned on me that maps helped me “see” and remember the trip much better than Ms. Google. Please don’t tell her that I just bought a map for a personal trip I am taking.
Little by little, maps are becoming a beneficial friend to me. And, Susan still sometimes asks me to punch in our destination on Ms. Google and marvels at the backest of back roads we have discovered with her guidance.
And, that is why I believe in And! And friends.
Off the I 