Five Ways to Share a Bench

A well-positioned bench can be a wonderful thing to find along the path of along walk.

Maybe you and another arrive at the bench at the same time; how do you decide who sits where?

Justifying space on the bench can be explored from several angles as can the arguments made in Congress and various legislatures about finding a way for everyone to sit down.

Is it for the best to claim the bench as yours and lay down before the other walker has a moment to act?  Most people, polite people that is, look for a better way.

Let's hope some of the same sanity can fall into the various halls of government in the nation's Capitol and the capitols in each of the fifty states.

You and I could reach a satisfactory solution with a minimal amount of time and effort.  Somewhere along the path to elected office sense and sensibilities are left by the side of the road miles before the bench comes into view.

Here then, are 5 ways to share a bench:

1. Ask the other walker if you might share.
2. Ask the approaching walker to have a seat.
3. Sit down at one end, make eye contact with a smile, and gesture to the open end.
4. Stand near the bench and offer the seat to the walker.  (I'll bet you  a dollar they offer you a seat.)
5. Stand, looking at the bench, making a comment to the approaching person about it and how nice it would be to sit down.  (During the ensuing conversation, you will both sit down.)

Unfortunately, the walker in Wisconsin - Governor Walker seems more inclined to run to the bench first to sell it off to reap a profit or secure exclusive rights for himself and his friends.

While being the winner every time single time because of superior forces can be a wonderful thing - it can leave others without a bench.

We, the people, expect our leaders to work together.  We need them to bring opposing views and perspectives to the problems and opportunities in facing us and reaching the best solution for the largest number of people.  That doesn't mean they need to agree, but I think we'd like them not to be disagreeable.

Sharing a bench is better than having one to yourself while others are forced to keep walking or seek rest further down the path.

In a very real way, we are all looking for space on this bench called America - and if we can't figure out a way to share and manage our resources together - the bench will break from under us.