Puzzles and Solutions

The topic today is mysterious to me. For some reason I will stumble across a problem and wonder about it. That leads to defining it as best I can. Then my mind turns to what ought to be happening, or what outcomes would we prefer to see rather than the fallout from a problem? From there my mind turns to possible solutions to the original problem.

Sometimes finding the solution is not the way to go. Sometimes it is more fruitful to imagine how a desired outcome should be. If that outcome is realized, wouldn’t it trump the problem? Wouldn’t the problem become neutralized? If so, then that’s one way to solve the problem. Do an end run around it!

Are you still with me? Hope so.

I read an article the other day that said the largest problem – or barrier – to success for most people is their ego. I can see that. But the article went on to state that egos need excuses why success is not always theirs. They are looking for a protective reason why they do not always succeed. And the article suggests that the presence of problems is how those egos protect themselves.

At this suggestion, my mind is bucking a bit. But, let’s go a little farther with this article’s logic. He suggests that problems are always with us and provide a handy excuse for why things do not go the way we want them to. Farther along, the article provides a solution to this state of affairs. It is – trumpets riffling in the background! – search for problems and then solve them.

OK. Got it. Sort of.

Well, actually not! Seems to me anyone interested in exceeding their own expectations will already have discovered the allure of problems and the opportunity to solve them. Making quick work of any puzzle is fun. It satisfies the sense of ability and wholeness. That’s why we consume crossword puzzles daily, or acrostics, or math teasers. We don’t always like them but we still rise to the challenge.

Today we are consumed with political intrigue, celebrity news of infidelities and sexual abuse, and so much more. A lot of our time is spent reading articles about problems and things that went wrong. Disappointments in life are often the soul of plot lines in movies, novels and short stories.

At some point in our lives shouldn’t we become restless and bored with this state of affairs. Isn’t it more fun and interesting to think up solutions to them? Gosh, I think so.

Working with past employers our jobs were centered on operating the organization toward better results. Maybe it was a new program we were designing. Perhaps it was a policy written to protect the institution from a Human Relations problem, or maybe it was earning greater profits from long existing practices.

Whatever the assignment, it was not only our job to make things better, to perfect our functioning, but it was also fun to dive deeper into the problems to discover possible solutions.

For example, just because drug addiction is a current problem in our culture doesn’t mean it is unsolvable. We can imagine our culture free of drug addictions, can’t we? If that is so, then working backward, can we stumble across the actions, policies, behaviors that would avoid drug addiction in the first place?

What about students graduating from high school or college unable to demonstrate they can handle a job or new career opportunity? What have we missed in their education that would repair this common complaint?

What about older people becoming bored with their lives? Are they so used to being entertained by turning on the TV that they have forgotten to read a book, to discuss the book with other people, or maybe, just maybe, seek the camaraderie of a book discussion group at the local library, church or senior citizens community center? From that activity can they see the possibility of mentoring a youth or small group of young people seeking answers to the mysteries of life?

What about hobbies that lead to artistic expressions of the inner self? What about visiting local galleries that show such expression of many artists? What about walking into the town’s city hall and asking about programs and problems that they need help with? Could they volunteer to serve on those committees?

What do we do about the drug culture in our country? What possible solutions can we find or create? Prison is not a solution. Fines, either. Local school programs during or after class times are probably not the fix, either, although we may be getting nearer to the goal.

Putting our heads together to focus on a condition or problem that is unwanted is a great way to spend some time. The results will be valuable to the participants even if they don’t find the right solution. They will have tried to do so. By doing so they will have learned much about the self, each other, and the problem all at the same time. A solution may pop to mind eventually because of their involvement. It certainly won’t come out of thin air if they don’t at least try.

I fail to see where ego is involved in this. Or how the existence of a problem is a good thing as an excuse for imperfection.

Successful people – and citizens – look for problems to solve. Each challenge is an opportunity for success. Change itself is an opportunity for success. These test our mettle. They call for creativity. And community.

And community. More on this another time. But community requires our involvement for it to prosper. I think the seeds of solutions to common problems are found in community. Now there’s a puzzle with a solution!

November 13, 2017