Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do.
—
We walked past many unique stores and restaurants. We noticed one restaurant up ahead with a patio area looking over the water. We headed there.
We settled into our table. Blue water was off to my left. The large Fulton’s Crab House, designed as a river boat, was also there. Straight ahead sat my good friend, Christine. Past her, I noticed many red geraniums planted on the walk way. I hadn’t noticed them when walking to the patio.
After attending a leadership retreat in Orlando with 70 colleagues, most of us were spending several hours at Downtown Disney. Christine Sneeringer and I began by catching up before joining others for dinner at an Irish Pub.
I’ve written about this before: Our intelligences can enhance and enrich our lives. Although applications to studying for students are most common, for adults, some of the best uses are just in relationships and during fun times.
Christine used her picture-smart strengths when positioning us for a picture by the geraniums. I wanted it taken there to honor my mom, who was very nature smart and liked geraniums. (I’ve been missing her more as Valentine’s Day approaches.)
Later, at an Irish Pub, where several of us enjoyed fish and chips, we marveled at the body-smart and music-smart talent of the Irish dancers and small band. My “friends” managed to tell one of the dancers that I was a tap dancer (FORMER!) so I was approached about taking the stage. No thank you! Those body-smart skills left me long ago.
After dinner, we met up with many others from our group and enjoyed visiting while eating our treats from the Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop. Seriously fabulous! (Could there be a “food smart”?) It was so much fun to watch the music-smart and body-smart men and women in our group occasionally dance to the music in the background. Spontaneously. Unplanned. Directed through eye contact.
My logic-smart strengths kicked in when I asked what a few hundred people were doing dancing and singing to the music in an outdoor amphitheater setting. I wanted to know if they were trying to win prizes or if they were just having fun. Of course, no one knew and I dropped it because it wasn’t the setting for a serious discussion. We can learn to use AND not use our smarts as it’s appropriate.
Walking from there to our cars, we marveled at the various displays made from Legos that were outside the Lego Imagination Center, as if to draw us in. It definitely took body-smart, logic-smart, and picture-smart abilities to create the sea monster and others. I felt the same when observing the ridiculously huge Tyrannosaurus Rex (pictured above) outside a restaurant and activity area.
Of course, we all used our word-smart skills throughout the night as we listened and talked. It was rich and I was so refreshed. Others were, too, because we took time to honor each other and just be with each other. We used our people-smart intelligence for hours.
After the drive back to the resort, I thought I’d go right to my room and engage my self-smart brain cells to reflect and process. No. Instead, my two roommates and I had a fabulous discussion that lasted long into the night. It was possible because we were relaxed and engaged. Ready and open.
Again, I chose not to use a smart, this time my self smart, in order to honor my friends. I stayed in my people-smart place and enjoyed myself immensely. When we were all talked out and I retired to my bedroom in our villa, my self-smart ability kicked in.
It was a great day!
