Moving the Elephant

June 23, 2017

As I travel for work, I’ve notice how few elephants I encounter.  Now, in truth, there are no elephants in Samoa (where I am currently working). In fact, there are no elephants in most of the overseas places where I have worked, except India where, for the most part, the elephants are an invitation to ride, feed, be blessed by or be petted.

At home, I’ve noticed how many elephants I do encounter.  So many rooms seem to have an elephant, and rarely there to bless.  These room elephants contribute to tightly wrought places that too often limit creative exploration and experimentation.  The elephant is ready to squash choices or ideas in fairly indiscriminate ways.

The rooms overseas feel blessedly open, free of the stifling presence that places limits on creative exploration, collaboration and discovery.  It is almost as if the elephant is right outside, ready to bless us as we enter a room together, in common pursuits, and remains just there, ready to guard our collaborative creativity.

I do blame the elephant.  I just wish, sometimes, we could collectively move the elephant out of the room and into the open space, where we could be blessed with open and supportive conversation that promotes creative freedom full of respect and understanding…even if, perchance, the elephant wanders back into the room occasionally.