First, let me take a moment to acknowledge the obvious!

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we seem to be on an intriguing exploration, as the last couple of posts were on love or l’amour, or amore, depending on your language of choice. 😊 Full disclosure: Several days ago, when I settled in my loft and began penning this piece, I thought: Aké, perhaps, you should take a breather on the concept of love and share about something else. However, one of my least favorite words is should. Therefore, I allowed the thought to evaporate as quickly as it formed! 

Yet still, you may be wondering: Why The Love Tour?
First, I have a strong appreciation for love! Also, it is the strongest fiber in my familial tapestry, as I shared a few weeks ago: The Strongest Fiber! – BLOG – www.akesatia.com. However, love is often misunderstood and can seem elusive, like the treasure all seek and few find. But it does not have to be that way!

So, let’s explore!

Many of us have heard the saying: two are better than one. It certainly has a nice ring to it! But what exactly does it mean?  

Gelling like jelly!

Admittedly, I am intrigued by stories of two gelling and achieving what seems impossible. You know… The instances when you cannot mention one without referring to the other, like peanut butter and jelly (PB&J)!
An aside: PB&J is such a thing nowadays that if you order bread and jelly without peanut butter and vice versa before your order comes out, you can expect the restaurant waitstaff to announce on the intercom: Customers: please remain seated. We are aware that an alien just entered the building, and we have called 911. It’s all under control! You may carry on eating and talking! Your server will be out with your check momentarily. 😉Yes, indeed! We can no longer imagine jelly without peanut butter and vice versa because they complement each other. They make each other better!

Amazingly, such unions happen between humans too! And when they do, we refer to it as a partnership, aka the association of two or more persons for carrying on a business as defined in the 1570s, per the Online Etymology Dictionary.

Now, if you have a cynical disposition, you might be thinking… Aké, I was with you on PB&J, but you lost me on humans! You cannot trust humans. But you can trust dogs. That’s why I stay close to my dog, Milo. Dogs are man’s best friend. And Milo is my best friend. When has a partnership between humans ever worked well?

And to that, I respond: Hmmm… I am almost at a loss for words! To uncover this, let’s turn to a “most credible source”: Cable television! 😉

When two are better than one.

Have you heard of the television show Naked and Afraid?
I have! And I have watched quite a few episodes. But I am uncomfortable admitting this because the title is sketchy! Therefore, allow me to point out that the title is misleading! – Unlike the title suggests, the show is about developing critical life skills, specifically experiencing vulnerability and facing uncertainty. 

In Naked and Afraid, two or more people are left alone in unknown territory to fend for themselves for 21 days. Given this, a more apt title for the show would be: Surviving Two-gether in the Unknown! But I realize that suggestion might not cut it as it does not have the attention-grabbing ring that the title: Naked and Afraid, does. And today, entertainment appears to be less about entertaining and more about raking in cash!

Back to the topic at hand!

Lessons from the show with a peculiar title.

In addition to entertaining viewers, the show Naked and Afraid is an intense course in partnership! In every episode, pairs of strangers face terrifying odds, such as cunning Fer-de-Lance snakes, roaring lions freely roaming the terrain at nightfall, 110-degree weather, and an array of human foibles and idiosyncrasies! – Suffice it to say, it is not a vacation in Monaco. Not by a long shot!

However, after watching a few episodes, one can identify common denominators that enable pairs to survive the grueling experience. But unlike one might think, the ability to make fire with a bow drill or construct an A-frame shelter is not the prized essential. The key to triumph is in the latter part of the saying: Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor: If either falls down, one can help the other up. Two are better than one because they… Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Essentially, two are better than one because they can complement, support, encourage, and strengthen each other. And thereby succeed together in their quest! Ironically, this articulates the value of partnering. And this is a refined pearl!
Also, this comes through in the show, Naked and Afraid. Because the essentials in the survival kit of those who make it to the end are skills that enable great partnerships, such as:
Humility and Respect.
Acknowledgment and Recognition.
Compassion and Communication.

Arguably, the most valuable is effective communication!

What message do you intend to send?

Communication is a hot topic nowadays, as many have felt the burn of a communication misfire! Fortunately, thanks to the contributions of many, we understand that effectively communicating is not uttering a string of well-coined phrases. Instead, effectively communicating is ensuring others understand our intentions and message. And this was eloquently articulated by Nelson Mandela when he said: If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.

This message resonates because when I was growing up, as I moved to new countries and continents, I needed to understand others and ensure they understood me. It was challenging, and I realized that expressing myself in a manner others could understand required more than knowledge of words and syntax. Instead, I needed to know where others came from and speak to them in their language.
Importantly, to speak to a person in their language is connecting at the heart level. – By directing the message to who they are and appealing to what matters to them. 

And when one gets this right, it enables problems to be solved, creates moments of laughter, enables two to become better than one, and allows love to blossom.

Thinking Right!

Earlier, I stated that love seems elusive like the treasure all seek but few find.
The great opportunity is to change our perception of love. Rather than seek love like one might chase an ephemeral perfume that is here one minute and gone the next, realize that love is not a fleeting aromatic scent. Instead, love has staying power, and there is an abundance of it. Therefore, the worthwhile goal is to inspire the outpouring of love by giving it, specifically extending ourselves – heart and mind, to another. Because in so doing, we strengthen another, and two become better than one!

Can you imagine how we would feel in our homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces if we extended ourselves to each other?

T-7!

Friend, Next week, we will explore a rich terrain. I will share an invaluable practice on Co-creating life that helped revive me during an intensely challenging season in my life. I look forward to sharing!

Greater times lie ahead!

For you and to you,
Aké