DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- The Leaning Tower of Pisa, in Pisa, Italy, is known to many people around the world because of its name, a tower that leans. A quick google search finds the following information about the tower. The tower is situated behind the Pisa Cathedral and is the third-oldest structure in the Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo), after the cathedral and the Pisa Baptistry. The site is an amazing sight to see in person. When my family and I noticed when we saw it in person, were people lined up to walk up and down the narrow staircase of the tower during the hottest time of the year.
The builder and latter city managers could have destroyed the tower. As it started to sink and shift from its original design to stand tall, the builders and city managers left it in place. At first glance, it would appear that the tower is a mistake by the architect that one could see. Perhaps some may think that there was something wrong with the original intent of the tall Bell Tower. Whether from a design flaw, the natural shifting of the ground due to the weight of the tower; the tower should have been torn down and replaced. In this, one would have expected that the tower should have been rebuilt if need be.
Managing our expectations is critical in our everyday lives. Managing our expectations is speaking calmly to ourselves when we lean into our flaws in our personal and professional lives. Another way to manage our expectations is training our minds. For example, when we refer to physical training, there are levels or phases that we must train in order to build endurance. Whether one is in what some may call “the sore or beginning phase,” one must learn to maintain consistency through to stay the course of physical training.
In 640 BC, the Greek poet Archolochos states, “We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.” I believe one of the missing parts of our lives is the training of the mind. We should train and track the mind training like we do our physical training. To accomplish this, a person could read positive and challenging books as well as meditate on positive experiences in their life. During this Covid-19 pandemic, negative speech fills our airwaves, those who speak negativity around us, and those who focus on the glass as half empty may appear to focus on flaws in their life as well as in the lives of others.
During this time of self-reflection, allow yourself time to contemplate needed changes in your life. As I conclude, perhaps you can ponder the areas and ways to train your mind to succeed. As we reflect on the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you too can be successful with your flaws. Train your mind with kind words, meditate on the goodness of others, positive experiences, and read books about to inspire and encourage you. When we lean into our flaws, we can turn around and help someone else on his or her journey.