Sunday, July 12, 2009

Create an Experience that will Empower Others

A while back, a friend of mine, Steve, was visiting a mutual friend who was suffering Parkinson disease at a NYC hospital. Our friend, Betty had a roommate whose bed was nearest to the window.

When Steve came into Betty’s hospital room, the curtain was drawn that divided the room into two parts. In a few minutes, he heard someone singing to the lady behind that curtain. The music was soft, sweet, and comforting. It was a woman’s voice.

When visitation time was over, the lady who was singing on the other side of the curtain walked pass Steve, nodded, and left the room.

It was Carly Simon.

She was singing to her mother in the bed nearest to the window behind the curtain. What a blessing it was to be in the still room and experience the tenderness that only a daughter can share with her mother! She was using the gifts that were only hers to offer.

What gifts do you have to share that are unique to only you? Have you shared them with the people that mean the most to you?

Have you experienced things in a room that were so profound that you will remember it for a lifetime? Circumstances and settings can influence how you experience a place. That is what I mean by Experience Architecture. It can affect the way you work, shop, play, and rest.

My new book, “The Designed Office,” covers this topic for office spaces. It will be in a bookstore near you really soon.