Common Sense

One of the biggest conclusions I’ve made in my life is that common sense is surprisingly uncommon.

My conclusion used to be a major disappointment for me; now, I’m no longer surprised.

For example, I’m writing this email from an airplane. I’m writing this on my iPhone while seated in seat 13D.

Since the pandemic is ongoing, the federal government requires all passengers to wear masks. (After all, there is no such thing as social distancing on an airplane.)

I received numerous emails before my flight warning me that I will be kicked off the flight — by law enforcement, no less — if I don’t wear a mask.

Okay, those are the rules. I get it. I’ve been notified.

After we take off, the flight attendants all promptly serve drinks and snacks. Then, everyone promptly removes their masks to eat and drink… well, because… it’s impossible to eat and drink with a mask on.

This completely defeats the purpose of wearing a mask in the first place.

Things like this used to bother me so much. I felt like things were “wrong” when they didn’t make sense.

Now, my philosophy on this has changed. I no longer see the lack of common sense as “wrong” (okay, I confess I still do, but I keep it to myself… except when writing an article about it and sending it to 100,000 people :)) but rather as just “true.”

It is true that there is a mask rule on airplanes, and it is true that people take off their masks to eat and drink.

Both are true.

I spend no energy trying to change what is true (unless it is something that my clients or my staff are doing) and simply ask myself the following:

Do I still want to get on the airplane? And do I want to take off my mask to eat and/or drink?

That’s it.

Those are the only things I can control in the situation. I control what I do with my body… and that’s it.

This makes life much simpler and more peaceful. I can observe and notice what others do that’s “true,” and rather than spending any energy on what “should be true,” I just focus on what I can control.

Do I want to participate? If so, how?

Do I want to get onto the plane? And if so, do I want to take off my mask to eat or drink?

Common sense isn’t very common… and that’s okay.