Chip Conley

I’m a proud member of “Metaphors Anonymous” and a self-avowed “punner” (different than a “pundit,” who are the real smart folks). Metaphors and puns are woven into my existence and my writing, for better or worse. Similes make me smile.

Some are calling it the Great Cessation. Others the Great Pause. But, below is a lovely brief video bedtime story dedicated to a future better than our past. Maybe it’s time to create our own parable during this time of paralysis?

When I was a teenager, one of my teachers called me a fine "prognosticator." I had no idea what she was talking about. For all I knew, this proper Christian mentor of mine could have been calling me a "pornographer." But I sensed it was a positive quality, so I accepted the compliment.

Stuff. The world is full of it. The United States has 50,000 mini-storage facilities comprising 2.5 billion square feet of rental space. We pay money to store stuff we don’t need nor often see. I say enough is truly enough!

When the 9/11 tragedy happened, it was 6 am in San Francisco. I was awoken by a panicked call from my friend Janine who was on the east coast and could barely speak. I spent the day in my bathrobe in our construction zone of a home with my partner Donald and a couple dozen construction workers glued to the TV. The day is seared into my heart as everything changed so suddenly, horrifically.

As many of you know, we have an MEA Library with more than 400 books in 25 sections each defined by a question, not a topic. This is my favorite book in the section defined by, “What are the socio-political implications of aging?”

One of our MEA alums said to me recently “brain overwhelmed, heart underprepared” for the past few months. And, that was before this past week’s unjust demise of George Floyd and the aftermath. Let’s do some wisdom “after-math.” Let’s recognize an intractable pattern of police racial abuse as evidenced in this Washington Post article.

In a recent post, I mentioned that I now schedule time in my calendar to “spy on the divine.” This isn’t easy to do while in quarantine, but one day I chose to just study an indoor plant for fifteen minutes. I used four of my five senses (didn’t taste it) to build a relationship with this plant whose name I didn’t even know.

This piece of wisdom floated up to me, although the author is unknown. I wanted to share with you because it reminds me a little bit of my post “Where’s Your Gumption?”

Smart people know how to use their brains. Wise people also know how to use their brains, but they aren’t trapped between their ears. Wise people know how to integrate their brain and body with their gut, heart, and soul. Fortunately, the last three escape solitary confinement starting in midlife.