Maybe it’s time to make getting to know you a priority
Today’s Monday Music selection is from the movie “The King and I” and features Julie Andrews singing “Getting to Know You”. The video starts in the movie scene where Andrews makes her introductions to a room full of children. The video is perfect for noticing Andrews as a “self” and all those children as “others.” Or you could notice Andrews as your true self, or soul self, excited about getting to know you and all the permutations of your egoic self.
What if you turned the lens of curiosity on yourself with the same warmth and anticipation Andrews has? In “Getting to Know You” it is clear Andrews and the children are excited by the prospect of getting to know each other, all about each other, their likes and their dislikes. What if every human on the planet approached every other human with a similar, intentioned, authentic excitement?
By embracing the values and habits of others, we don’t get stale! How’s that for a construct? In the act of knowing someone else, you yourself are refreshed!
On the movie screen, the visuals of the cute, smiling children makes this notion of excitement and pleasure in the meeting of others more successful. In the day-to-day world, that excitement can be challenging to muster. In our daily lives, we may experience some egoic needs like Andrews mentions, ”Getting to like you, getting to hope you like me.”
Are you and your ego friends?
Of course this scene is taken out of context of the full movie, but some generalizations do apply. Often when we meet new people we are hoping, or we are anxious or we are otherwise in some sort of feeling state regarding how they may perceive us.
The Grounded Relating Monday Music Challenge today is pointing out, that one option for the feeling state surrounding “getting to know you” practices could be anticipation. Anticipation formed around “getting to know” another person.
Or, in the spirituality context of self-love, authentically being excited about getting to know yourself, warts and all. And recognizing that you hope to like yourself. Not everybody comes to self-love easily, or authentically, 100% of the time. There is undoubtedly a great deal of faking it ‘til you make it.
Refresh yourself by opening up to others around you
The beauty of it all is the learning that occurs, as a result of knowing others and experiencing their differences and the dissonances thereby co-created. It isn’t the same old rinse and repeat. By embracing the values and habits of others, we don’t get stale! How’s that for a construct? In the act of knowing someone else, you yourself are refreshed!
In the act of knowing yourself, holding yourself with curiosity and compassion, you become greater than your egoic constructs. Andrews works with that great spiritual teacher Mr. Curiosity, and states it this way:
“Getting to know you,
Getting to feel free and easy
When I am with you,
Getting to know what to say
Haven’t you noticed
Suddenly I’m bright and breezy
Because of all the beautiful and new
Things I’m learning about you
Day by day.”
And what would happen if Mr. Curiosity lived in your head every day of the week, coaching and intervening? Well that might be pretty great. All those little children in the video were eager it seemed to start the great adventure of “Getting to Know You” with Julie Andrews.
How many of us feel that eager anticipation with regards to our own spiritual or egoic uncovering? Andrews suggests you look at it as if you’re finding a brand new pal with whom to share your dreams, joys and troubles. She sings:
“Telling you my dreams,
Getting to feel that you’re with me
Making our own fun,
Knowing we know how to play
Now that I’ve met you
Suddenly I’m mostly happy
I’ve found a new pal, beautiful and true
Yes I’m talking about you
Friends Today”
Take a look and a listen on YouTube as posted by Chris Garret:
This Grounded Relating Monday Music Challenge asks the question: Are you and your ego friends? On speaking terms? At war? Maybe it’s time to make getting to know you, ego, a priority.
Full lyrics for “Getting to Know You” from the movie “The King and I” as posted on MetroLyrics.com:
Getting to know you, getting to know all about you.
Getting to like you, getting to hope you like me.
Getting to know you, putting it my way,
But nicely,
You are precisely,
My cup of tea.
Getting to know you,
Getting to feel free and easy
When I am with you,
Getting to know what to say
Haven’t you noticed
Suddenly I’m bright and breezy
Because of all the beautiful and new
Things I’m learning about you
Day by day.
Sharing your spirit,
Sharing your tears and your laughter
Hoping it goes on,
Hoping it lasts endlessly
Getting to know you, putting it my way,
But sweetly,
You are completely,
My friend you see.
Telling you my dreams,
Getting to feel that you’re with me
Making our own fun,
Knowing we know how to play
Now that I’ve met you
Suddenly I’m mostly happy
I’ve found a new pal, beautiful and true
Yes I’m talking about you
Friends Today
