I’ve found a new blog, Sources of Insight, written by J.D. Meier. This morning he asked what our metaphors for life are. How do we approach it, work with it? Within what context?
How do I play life?
You think that’s easy to answer? It wasn’t for me…
…Not until I poured a fresh cup of coffee and headed out to think: 
I see metaphor wherever I look. A simple life snapshot, moving or still, tells a larger truth. I write the stories. Or paint them. I look for those patterns J.D. Meier spoke of, patterns of lights and patches of shade, areas of focus versus peripheral blur. An intimate close-up versus a zoomed-out view.
I’m learning to see what’s important to look at, and allow the rest to support, as in any effective endeavor — professional or personal.
That’s my approach to life…
Theorizing is good. The questions What if…? and How could I…? and I wonder what would happen if… are great starters. But that’s just what they are. Starters.
After asking the questions, I try out possible answers. Sometimes I fail. That’s okay. Sometimes I don’t fail. Those are the times I innovate, create, and usually learn something in the process.
Theorizing without applying gets me nowhere.
In college chemistry lab, hypotheses not tried, and without conclusions, got me an F. (The only F I ever got in school. I took it again, did it right, and got an A. Tough way to average out……)
That’s how I play life.
How do you do it? What is your approach? Do you live certain assumptions that work for you? Will you please share those? Over coffee — black or otherwise — or water of course…
Coffee is Italian roast — fresh, hot. Water is filtered and cold. Valerie, hope you like your morning coffee in the afternoon hours in London.
Thanks. I appreciate you all.
Barb
The photo on the left (copyright) belongs to Benjamin Earwick. He allowed us to paint it as an Innographx Forum challenge. I left out all background — and named the painting Thoughtful Lady. Done in Painter X.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the link love!
I like how you turn your thinking into doing and … I like the way you *play* your life.
J.D. Meier’s last blog post..Catalysts and Drains
Nice painting – play of light and shadow.
I am a failure at play so I am working on changing my assumptions and patterns to incorporate play into my life…
It has been drilled into me get your work done first and then play…
Patricia’s last blog post..Dissonant Chord
You’re welcome, J.D. and thank you right back. Nicely put — turn my thinking into doing. That was the name of my language arts books when I was in the primary grades. Think and Do. Guess it’s always stuck with me.
Hi Patricia. I used the word play as in playing your hand at cards. Not as in play at the expense of work.
But now that you bring it up, it’s one of those things I wish I had known starting out… how to play at work you really love doing. It’s how I feel now.
I am really glad that I read the comments here about play. I also interpreted play to mean relax and frolic instead of strategy. It is interesting how both definitions apply but give a different bent to the post.
I read it once with the fun play and then reread it with the strategy play and the combination of the two got me thinking, while I was sipping the nice cold water. I am doing too much and that is preventing me from thinking enough and really creating a promising hypothesis. Its time to slow down, take a deep breath and get out of crisis mode.
Bean’s last blog post..Power of Pingbacks or How I got naked with the Fairy Blog Mother
Hi Barb,
I would love to express my thanks to you for inspiring me by giving you the lemonade award. you can collect it at my blog.
love
sema
Hi Barb. I haven’t had my coffee yet today. I think it’s about time. Been 2 days actually.
Metaphors! Love them. I use them primarily when I’m trying to get a point across to somebody.
And assumptions, well that’s another story. I am very quick to make assumptions because I live quickly and impatiently fill in the blanks when I don’t know the answer. It’s a bad habit, but I’ve recently, as you know from reading my last post, come to realize this. It is an interesting trip.
That painting you’ve done is beautiful. Great work Barb!
Davina’s last blog post..Good Advice in Tough Times
I work (play) life by taking pictures. Let’s take yesterday for example:
I went to a community garden for a lesson on growing tomatoes. I was looking forward to learning about tomatoes, taking some pictures of the community gardens, and listening to the speaker.
What I came away with was a new love of gardening (which I used to do, but haven’t for several years), a new appreciation for my community (via a community garden), and a new love of tomatoes (which I only really love when they’re yellow).
Now, I take the pictures I took, research the places and people I visited, and write about them.
I love what I do. For me, work is play (at least with my blog).
PS – You can look for the post on the community garden later this week.
LisaNewton’s last blog post..A Boy and a Wave
Hi Bean. Thank you for making the distinction. I like the terms fun-play versus strategy-play. And then combining them as you have. Taking time to think quietly is often the first thing we eliminate in a necessarily-busy schedule. Shame, too… When that happens to me, I get knots at the core of my being. Sunday morning I truly wished I could have another Saturday. Not for frolicking, but to enjoy thinking before the new week started.
In order to see well, I MUST take time to look.
I have a thought for our FFF classes and will send you a PM.
(They are a lifeline for me… and you are a God-send!)
Thank you so much, Sema! I will scoot over and see what a Lemonade Award is.
Hi Davina. I love metaphors too. I learn more from them actually… the lessons are somehow broader and more encompassing through metaphor.
I’ve certainly made my share of assumptions and filled in those hasty blanks. And frequently had to back-pedal and re-do. (Fortunately my fifth-grade teacher was my mom, and she never felt shame in having to apologize and do it over. Even with kids.)
I’m not quick and multi-task-talented. I’m slow and thorough. I get less done, it seems, than my prolific heroes — artists, writers, bloggers.
I remember in college learning to play bridge. Seems like I observed forever before getting even the basics. Asked a kadzillion questions. And THEN started to play. But I played well.
I have to take the time to see and think and visualize (like Vered in her skiing).
Thanks so much for coming by. Hope all is well following your surgery.
Hi Lisa. That’s what I’m talking about! Yes! My work is my play as well — my dad taught me to learn to love whatever it was I needed to do. You gotta’ love it! he said. And he did love his work. Told once me he’d never worked a day in his life. Truth was he started helping to support his family of 13 when he was 11 years old. He later taught and coached and wrote books. He loved every moment as much as the golf he took up in retirement.
Well, I taught and I built a business with my husband and I created workshops and spoke at large gatherings — and always came home exhausted.
Now I’m doing what was put on hold so many years ago — I sleep with ideas running through my mind and have to force myself to rest. Painting and writing and learning more about both are just fun!!!
I look forward to your post on tomatoes. I love them directly off the vine, warm from the sun. Yum………………..