Stories, metaphors, and music are great ways to teach me something that I otherwise am unable to hear. I imagine. It is tangibly real. I can feel it. I can taste it. Every sense is touched. I am changed by the experience. I wonder why we do not use this form of communication more often.
Three distinct experiences recently reminded me of the recurring question on imagery. I listened to the pianist in the Taj Coromandel lobby – finding myself transported again to a place that only exists in my imagination. In that space, I could hear God’s whisper. I felt Compassion’s touch. I could see the connection between action and Love. I could sense the pull to a place better than where I was.
I listened to a young mother share her son’s story through her eyes. I found myself wanting to help, to share parts of my own story. In each story, it felt as though the other was only partially there. As the depth and breadth of the details grew, it seemed as if we were able to step into each other’s world. The dialogue continues. I know there is much more to understand, but we have taken the first steps in sharing our stories, helping the other with the burdens they have.
Describing the difficult is often impossible without metaphors. I wanted to understand. I tried to understand. At some point I gave up. Then he offered me a metaphor. In the context of the story it all came together. “Don’t be ornery like a horse or mule that needs bit and bridle to stay on track.” (Psalm 32.9)
It is hard to imagine how one gets from here to impossible. A pianist in a hotel lobby took me to a place of wonder and beauty. I came away touched and enriched by the gift. A mother continues to struggle with her son. Sharing our stories allowed us to share hope and lighten our walk. A metaphor accomplished what hours of conversation could not. I could see and understand. Imagery was the vehicle.
