The Elephant in the Room
Have you ever jumped to conclusions or reacted ill-advisedly because you didn’t have all the information about a particular person or situation? If you haven’t, I guess I’m the only sorry person out there who has made that mistake far too many times throughout my life.
Dr. Bernie S. Siegel is my commentator today as I quote directly from his 365 Prescriptions for the Soul that starts with an Indian parable:
Three blind men touch an elephant. The first blind man was holding the elephant’s leg and said, “I think an elephant is like the trunk of a tree.” The second blind man was holding the elephant’s trunk and said, “An elephant is like a large snake.” The third blind man said, “An elephant is like a great wall,” while touching the elephant’s side.
You all know the story about the elephant that walked into an area where many blind men were living. They all wanted to know what the elephant was like. So when the elephant was captured, they were allowed to touch it. Of course their descriptions varied depending on the part of the elephant they touched.
That story teaches us that until you have the complete picture you do not know what is going on and that it is best not to react based on your limited knowledge. If all the blind men had gotten together, they might been able to come up with the truth rather than only their individual impressions.
If due to circumstances, you do not have all the facts and are not able to see the whole picture, give yourself more time. Then you can accumulate the knowledge you need so your reaction will be appropriate to the circumstances as they truly exist.
Soulution of the Day
Be slow to think you have seen the whole picture until you are sure you have touched the whole elephant.
Living: the ultimate team sport 