A BRIEF MIDWEEK ESSAY ACCOMPANIED BY VIDEOS AND PHOTOS:
THREE POINTS OF CONTACT FOR EMOTIONAL SAFETY
Last week a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto Japan. Japan YouTuber John Daub of “Only in Japan Go” in reporting on the earthquake made a distinction between minor and major earthquakes. He noted that in a major earthquake one cannot stand. That caused me to reflect upon my own experience being unable to stand during the Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964.
During the four and half minutes that the 1964 Alaska earthquake lasted I attempted to traverse a narrow hallway to reach my baby sister in her crib. It sounded like the roof was going to collapse. Two specific impressions remain with me from that effort. First, the tile over cement floor of the hallway rolled up and down like it was liquid. Second, I could not stand and move forward without bracing myself between the two walls.
Fast forward to a recent rafting trip on the waters of Spencer Lake fronting Spencer Glacier and on to the connecting Placer River in Alaska. As we attempted to climb into the inflated rafts our instructor mandated that we follow the safety rule of “Three Points of Contact.” The rule requires one to have three of your four limbs firmly touching and in contact with a solid surface. It can be either two feet and one hand or two hands and one foot. As I reflect back on how I was able to reach my baby sister during the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake, it was in fact by adhering to “three points of contact” as two hands and a foot remained steady against a solid surface as the other foot moved forward.
May I suggest that in order to be emotionally grounded we can benefit from “three points of contact” as well. Rather than three of four limbs making physical contact, we can emotionally make contact with others with our heart, mind and senses. Sharing and communicating our own feeling as well as listening and responding to others are ways of making emotional contact. In the course of so doing a third point of contact can be humor.
When we add humor in communicating with others we help to ground and secure our emotional contact with others by creating a stable triangle of support.
This point was brought home to me as I recently observed the interactions between members of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during an open rehearsal. It was evident that the bonds between the choir and orchestra members were being strengthened by, during the breaks, engaging in shared humor and in the sharing of joyous and cheerful music as they rehearsed the singing of “The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music.”
Link to Video Playlist of Musicians having fun as they rehearse the cheerful and joyous song, "The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music:
Contrasted to their formal appearances, these casually dressed musicians can be seen enjoying themselves during a break at a rehearsal that was not without laughter.
FURTHER RELATED PHOTOS:
Pictured - The table at which I had been sitting doing homework when the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake began. From here I left to get my baby sister only to return and see the china that had spilled and broken from the china cabinet behind where I had been sitting. During the over four minutes of shaking it sounded like the roof was going to collapse so we got out of the house.
Our Rafting Guide Instructing us on the safety of "Three Points of Contact:"
I actually think the way he’s standing on the crown that it’s kind of hidden behind the other one…
That’s right, you can barely see it the way he’s standing at an angle. It’s almost exactly behind the other one… Makes sense once you see it on the actual coin.
Here’s the original picture of my avatar taken from a 1902 shilling that I owned back in 2010, sadly I sold it not long after taking that picture, wish I had kept it!
Any idea of the make and model of this vehicle?
I met this several times in the last couple of weeks in Beckley, WV. Tell its make and model, if you know.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
Comments
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
A BRIEF MIDWEEK ESSAY ACCOMPANIED BY VIDEOS AND PHOTOS:
THREE POINTS OF CONTACT FOR EMOTIONAL SAFETY
Last week a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto Japan. Japan YouTuber John Daub of “Only in Japan Go” in reporting on the earthquake made a distinction between minor and major earthquakes. He noted that in a major earthquake one cannot stand. That caused me to reflect upon my own experience being unable to stand during the Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964.
During the four and half minutes that the 1964 Alaska earthquake lasted I attempted to traverse a narrow hallway to reach my baby sister in her crib. It sounded like the roof was going to collapse. Two specific impressions remain with me from that effort. First, the tile over cement floor of the hallway rolled up and down like it was liquid. Second, I could not stand and move forward without bracing myself between the two walls.
Fast forward to a recent rafting trip on the waters of Spencer Lake fronting Spencer Glacier and on to the connecting Placer River in Alaska. As we attempted to climb into the inflated rafts our instructor mandated that we follow the safety rule of “Three Points of Contact.” The rule requires one to have three of your four limbs firmly touching and in contact with a solid surface. It can be either two feet and one hand or two hands and one foot. As I reflect back on how I was able to reach my baby sister during the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake, it was in fact by adhering to “three points of contact” as two hands and a foot remained steady against a solid surface as the other foot moved forward.
May I suggest that in order to be emotionally grounded we can benefit from “three points of contact” as well. Rather than three of four limbs making physical contact, we can emotionally make contact with others with our heart, mind and senses. Sharing and communicating our own feeling as well as listening and responding to others are ways of making emotional contact. In the course of so doing a third point of contact can be humor.
When we add humor in communicating with others we help to ground and secure our emotional contact with others by creating a stable triangle of support.
This point was brought home to me as I recently observed the interactions between members of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square during an open rehearsal. It was evident that the bonds between the choir and orchestra members were being strengthened by, during the breaks, engaging in shared humor and in the sharing of joyous and cheerful music as they rehearsed the singing of “The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music.”
Link to Video Playlist of Musicians having fun as they rehearse the cheerful and joyous song, "The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLeUaaiSpjNsQ
Contrasted to their formal appearances, these casually dressed musicians can be seen enjoying themselves during a break at a rehearsal that was not without laughter.
FURTHER RELATED PHOTOS:
Pictured - The table at which I had been sitting doing homework when the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake began. From here I left to get my baby sister only to return and see the china that had spilled and broken from the china cabinet behind where I had been sitting. During the over four minutes of shaking it sounded like the roof was going to collapse so we got out of the house.
Our Rafting Guide Instructing us on the safety of "Three Points of Contact:"
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
Now I gotta check 😆
I actually think the way he’s standing on the crown that it’s kind of hidden behind the other one…
My YouTube Channel
That’s right, you can barely see it the way he’s standing at an angle. It’s almost exactly behind the other one… Makes sense once you see it on the actual coin.
My YouTube Channel
Speaking of, I just got another one of those shillings…
Nice and crusty!!
My YouTube Channel
Here’s the original picture of my avatar taken from a 1902 shilling that I owned back in 2010, sadly I sold it not long after taking that picture, wish I had kept it!
My YouTube Channel
Got this off ebay reasonable
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
Any idea of the make and model of this vehicle?
I met this several times in the last couple of weeks in Beckley, WV. Tell its make and model, if you know.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
the Iowa class
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
The street singers
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members