For
your consideration: You have to pack the tape and scissors, just
in case you get to decorate the elephant.
How
do you react when something gets said, or in some way is presented
to you, and you simply have no clue what’s happening? The answer
may be simpler than you would initially believe.
Context.
I’ve
been around long enough to learn that many things cannot survive
without context. And I’ve learned that the answer to most dilemmas
such as this are clarified and defined by context.
The
other night I was sitting in the living room. Two dogs were curled
up against me, enjoying naps. Karen was moving about, checking
off items from her list of preparations for an upcoming trip.
At one point she walked past me, picked up a pair of scissors,
turned, and as she was headed the other way and walking past me
again, she held up the scissors for my appreciation and said:
“You
have to pack the tape and scissors, just in case you get to
decorate the elephant.”
I
looked up, made eye contact, and nodded in agreement. I had no
clue what she meant. But mission she was on, and recognizing the
moment I was not silly enough to question her actions. Scissors
were, evidently, packed. Explanations were, potentially, delayed.
A
few moments ago, I mentioned we were going to investigate context.
And, context will be provided for our elephant in the essay. But
an equal nod of importance should be granted to that old favorite
of situational understanding, reading the room.
Karen
had a pair of scissors. Her need for those scissors was obviously
clear to her. My need to follow the story didn’t matter at the
moment. This was not a general flow of conversation where I had
no clue what was going on and needed details before things could
move along. She was moving along, and I wasn’t being asked to
grab my own scissors in order to join the adventure. Occasionally
stories need to play out before mysteries are revealed.
Read
the room.
Karen
is heading out on a cruise with some friends, and has begun the
slow packing that kicks off a few weeks in advance of the journey.
A few years ago, Karen had gone on a cruise with some friends.
On that trip, there was an ongoing contest between teams with
a trophy awarded to each day’s winning group. That trophy was
to be decorated overnight by the winning team, returned at the
next day’s event, would be awarded again, decorated again, returned
again, repeat. That trophy was—yes, you knew this already—an elephant.
According
to Karen, you would not believe the emotions that are created
by not having tape and scissors until you are on a boat, out at
sea, where there is no possible way to get tape and scissors and
you suddenly find yourself needing tape and scissors.
“You
have to pack the tape and scissors, just in case you get to
decorate the elephant.”
Context.
Karen
walking with scissors and making the comment. Now it makes perfect
sense.
Not
every moment of crazy is crazy. Not every moment of crazy needs
immediate action. Sometimes, crazy makes perfect sense.