Learning
Author: Madison Edwards, San Diego, CA
While waiting in line to checkout at a store, I noticed a peculiar, anachronistic man standing in line behind me. I noted that he was the only one in the store not wearing a mask, despite signs outside the store imploring patrons not to enter without one. When we made eye contact, he began talking to me…
Stranger: “I guess we will all be prepared for synchronized swimming after this.”
Me: “Oh yea? I suppose it’s good to look on the bright side of things.”
Stanger: “Well it makes things easier…but so does always looking on the dark side… but neither way is right.”
His words resonated with me. He was absolutely right. I often find myself sorting people, events, etc. into discrete categories because it simplifies my life. I categorize things as either good or evil, black or white, healthy or unhealthy, left or right-wing, and so on. I feel many others may relate to this sentiment.
However, as this man, and others (my aunt and mother to name two) have pointed out countless times, life is not always simple. It would be so boring if it were. No, life is often messy, dizzying, convoluted, a puzzle that we must continually solve and resolve……sometimes it gives me a headache... Yet, there is something so alluring about complexity and mystery. Beauty lies in the grayscale, so to speak.
We may find ourselves resorting to black and white thinking especially in times of uncertainty and fear, such as a global pandemic. It is easy to conclude that people who hoard food and supplies are evil and selfish. In reality, it’s more likely these choices were a result of a concoction of factors and emotions: they were distraught, uncertain about their future income source, their thoughts clouded by fear.
Let us instead practice grayscale thinking. It certainly creates more space in our hearts for compassion and understanding. I think all this is summarized elegantly by one of my favorite quotes, from My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman.
“And one could say it’s right and one could say it’s wrong. And probably both would be right. Because life is both complicated and simple.”