Something I remembered tonight

Driving home from seeing Howie inducted into the Haddam-Killingworth Hall of Fame (which he richly deserved) I remembered a question I used to ask to people (mostly women of color) who were applying to the Regional Council on Education for Employment (RCEE) which I was the Center Co-ordinator for while I was out of parish ministry back in 1985-89.

RCEE took talented folks who had fallen through the cracks and were on welfare and in 12 weeks got them entry level jobs at Yale, IBM and lots of Insurance Companies and other employers. It was remarkably inspiring work. I'm so thankful and humbled that I got to do it.

But I always asked the applicants this question: "if you were an animal, what animal would you be?"

It threw them off balance, which I wanted, and usually told me a great deal about them. Really.

It is disarming and very revealing what people say to that question.


So, I ask you, "if you were an animal, what animal would you be?"

It says a great deal about you. Ponder your answer. Let me know by commenting or emailing me at Padrejgb@aol.com. (Tech savvy folks have told me it's hard to figure out how to comment on my blog.)

Let me know and I'll tell you what that means about you--though it's just 'me talkin''.

Almost nobody we let into RCEE failed. And one of the determinations was the answer to that question.

Ponder what animal you would be if you were an animal.

It will give you quite a while of introspection.

Which is good.