By the Numbers

Lately it seems like most everyone I run into these days is wearing one of those fitness watches that record, among other things, how many steps one takes during the course of a day, their calorie intake, and cholesterol count. Without question, these are amazing devices. And the good news is they are designed to keep folks more sensitive to the value of being fit. What I term a second cousin to these watches, another popular item on the market are GPS contraptions geared to help travelers from getting lost, Mainly, we find them in automobiles, but more and more they are popping up in I-phones, too. The usefulness of these technological innovations is virtually self-explanatory.


Looking at their growing popularity, however, I cannot help but reflect on the observation made by the little prince in the classic book by Antoine de Saint Exupery that grown-ups tend to be obsessed with "matters of consequence" that really are not all that important after all. What good is material wealth if one does not embrace the natural beauty of the planet, including another person's smile and level of happiness? What the fitness watches and GPS devices provide us with are goals to reach. While a specific destination is important, how does the value of it stake up against the journey one takes to reach that end?


So often in communication one is driven by the desire to do what is necessary to get across their message. They have a point to make and they will do most anything to make it, including shouting, talking over others and belittling other messages put forth by competitors and those around them. While points of view are good to articulate, how does such a goal rank against the value of respectful and effective interaction? Certainly, achieving the goal of being understood is worthy; yet none of us should forget the value that comes with positive engagement. As we move into our holiday season, the benefit of "getting along" should not be forgotten.