Puzzles and Pachyderms

Big Foot Inn. Dorothhy Chandler Pavillion. Car accident in front of Spitz. It is amazing. We need to get out and see. Walk in to a bar. Find a Big Sign saying Sasquatch. Looking at pictures on a camera of the day’s events. Seeing waters dance in front of City Hall. Going to the REDCAT and finding absolutely nothing.  Its times like these that can make a world of difference. A time where one can renew and re-invigorate.

A line of flares can be so fascinating. In a moment’s notice, it can all be changed. The things we found most troubling vanishes with a second. Getting various accounts of events from all sorts. It is like five people blindfolded trying to describe an elephant. Each person right in their interpretation of events, but yet so limited in their experiences. Not getting the picture of what is going on. They can only see what they feel. They don’t get a bigger picture of what is right and wrong.

One person touches the elephant and shouts this is a pillar. Another grabs the tail and says,”No, it is rope. Another hold the trunk and claims, “It can’t be. It is a tree trunk. One feels the ear as it waves. He says, “No it is a fan, keeping me cool. Another touches the elephant’s belly. “That is not correct. It is a wall.”  Lastly, one grabs the tusk of the mighty elephant and says, “This is a solid pipe.”

All of these people were right in their experiences. Because they were blindfolded, they could not see the bigger picture. Much was missed by the narrowed view of their experiences. One cannot and should not dismiss the rightness or wrongness of their and others' experiences. It was their experiences and circumstances that found them near the area of the elephant.  Life put them where they are. Good or bad, it is by their atman, their soul, a higher calling, that gives them strength and will to find their calling. 

One can stay where they are, but the Big Smile has a way of providing lessons that we must learn. History has a way of forcing us to answer questions about ourselves. We can be angry and saddened where we are placed. We can be caught holding the tail. Or we cooled by the fanning of the great beast’s ears. We can cry afoul  that one is jabbed by the tusk. Or we can scream injustice and stand like a pillar. Still we must decide. To go on with status quo or redefine our history.

Bigger picture is that we are blinded by our filters. We may see race. We may see sexism. Classicism. We pick what injustices we see. We would be right in claiming the experiences and truths of the circumstance.  Yet, wrong in the conclusion. There is Faith. Many believe that there is something bigger. . .a bigger purpose. . .a bigger understanding of Forces acting on and through us. There are many who believe in the rightness of their claims, but miss the bigger picture. We must understand and take appropriate measures.

When our blindfolds are removed, we will see the limitations of our purpose—of our experiences—of our relativity.  There is evidence of something huge. Like a 1000 piece puzzles. We get snippets here and there. Through measured study or luck of the draw, things will connect and inkling of the giant tapestry will provide us with a glimpse of understanding. There is purpose of the accidents and windfalls we experience. There will be a time, all will be revealed. Our conduct will be reviewed and our interpretations examined. 

If we were graded by the standards we measure others, I believe that our eyes will be softer and our compassion much deeper.