Seth Godin says, “The best way to learn a complex idea is to find it living inside something else you already understand.” For example, if I want to understand the complexities of gravity, I just throw the cat into the air and note how he always lands on his feet. Gravity is an invisible force, ever present, and persistently holding my feet to the ground. Reminds me of God, my mom, and lost socks. (I hope you are following the pattern?)
We don’t have control over much these days. So when life is tossing you in the air, just relax, and expect to land on your metaphoric feet. Now Seth (we’re on a first name basis because I read his book and we’re kinda Facebook friends) also says, “An amateur memorizes. A professional looks for metaphors.” I know this makes my poem post kind of obsolete, but he also says it’s not a talent, it’s a practice. I think he is suggesting we take a metaphoric step back, really be present, and look for the deeper meaning in our experiences. That is what this X@#%$# blog is all about. So last night I found myself sitting under the stars, enjoying country music, at Clos LaChance winery. Don’t be jealous, join us at the next Song and Wine Series, it goes through October!
So metaphorically, we are either the camera or the photographer, a stagnant tool for recording images or the person calling the shots. You can stay home browsing Facebook, or you can get out and experience the world, but only you can choose. We’re not part of The Truman Show where some guy with a God complex is designing the set. This is our show, we decide if we are going to sit home watching Seinfeld reruns, or jump in the car and try something new. He ends with this wisdom, “Lessons are often found where we look for them.” No truer words have ever been spoken. I threw the cat up again and he landed on his feet, I jumped off the sofa and landed on mine, but when I threw my hands in the air they landed on a keyboard. Sweet.
Check out this article: The Presence and Power of Metaphors
What are the challenging metaphors in your life? Land those babies in the comments.
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Originally published on Living in the Gap
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