During a training session for my coaching program, we each received a polished, flat, green stone. The stone easily fits in the palm of my hand. On one side is etched ‘problem’ and on the other, ‘solution.’ We were instructed to become one with the stone, and then to love it unconditionally. Our instructors urged us to meditate and reflect on this. Needless to say, there was a silent pause, and some startled looks. Say what??? Strange homework indeed!
Without any expectations, and feeling kind of foolish, later I did sit holding my stone and open up my mind to… whatever. I didn’t know what would happen. I liked the feel of the stone and how it rested in my hand. I liked its smooth glossiness. (Is this love?) I examined the stone and flipped it back and forth from the problem side to the solution side and from the solution side to the problem side a few times.
The first thing that occurred to me was that this single stone holds both sides, solution side and problem side in one object. In other words, problem and solution are both part of the same stone. So, problem and solution are part of the same ‘thing?’ What could that mean?
Then two more thoughts came to me. First, that for some, what is a problem quickly becomes a path to a solution and vice versa. That problems and solutions can be interchangeable or at least are linked. And next, I thought about the element of time and change. When they impact systems and/or life, what is a solution at one point in time, can bring about new problems. But problems can also yield new solutions if one is willing to thoroughly wrestle with that problem.
An example of the evolution of solution to problem and hopefully back to solution is the powering of world societies with fossil fuels. Oil and coal were a boon one hundred years ago. They helped to create tremendous growth, wealth, and also new technologies. Today fossil fuels are a serious problem because of the large amounts of carbon dioxide polluting and warming our environment and atmosphere. What was seen as a solution in the past, today presents as a problem. However, a proposed method to stem climate change is capturing CO2 and carbon and reusing or storing it. There are now efforts to make these methods scalable. Check out these websites to learn more, https://www.climateliabilitynews.org/2019/03/13/carbon-capture-fossil-fuels-ciel-report/
I realize that one needs to be open and willing to think outside the box for new possibilities and new solutions to appear. (Just like my insights about my green stone!) When a ‘problem’ arises, acknowledge that time and change allowed this problem to evolve. And, that within the problem, if you study all the aspects of the problem and are open-minded, there can be the seeds for a solution. Finally, I realize that problems will always be with us, at least as long as there is change over time, and so will possibilities and solutions.