The two performers were pairs on a coin. Each had their own attraction however the outcome followed as if tracing the steps in solving an equation. Add a dose of doubt, mix in a particular amount of skills, and pop! You gained an experience that one could expect, however the sense of surprise was still there.
One exhibitor at the conference wanted to get their message across through a card counter and magician. A short bag of tricks plays itself out to a skeptical audience for less than two minutes. The organization’s key messages are carefully and methodically interwoven into the entertainment. Somehow the idea that one is able to achieve the unexpected is driven home by a professional man of amusement.
In contrast there is no theme or tag lines on the exhibit of my employer. While initially stark and almost minimalist, the themes of being in front, in focus, and inspired come through in subtle ways. One of the most unusual is the fresh fruit and vegetable juice making team that shows up each afternoon to supply energy drinks. They have stepped beyond the usual – mango, kiwi, southern European grapes, pineapple, and exotic blends are the norm.
As a visitor to many exhibits during the past two days, I am struck by the contrast. In the first I watched coins being palmed and people deceived. The message of the unexpected came through as it does anytime one is surprised by deceit. If the intent was to deliver a message buried in the harsh realities of the human journey I walked away convinced. It was a result that easily fit into Wisdom’s observation.
“Hire a fool or a drunk and you shoot yourself in the foot.” (Proverbs 26.10)
Yet as I wondered away and reflected with a dose of nature’s bounty I was bathed in the caring expressed by a people who prepared a drink with care. I found myself in focus and inspired. I reveled in the gifts and wondered what my next steps would be. I find reaching for mercy, love, and acceptance.
