Hello TSJ Peeps!
Do you remember what you read and hear? Do you remember what you see? What stays with you most vividly?
For most of us, our best learning uses both our auditory and our visual modalities. They go together like yin and yang or peas and carrots or ice cream and hot fudge or – at TSJ headquarters – like Solomon and Tom and sheep and shepherds.
More on that in a minute …
First, an apology for those of you who are always on time….I am running late today but for all sorts of happy reasons. I am excited to say rather than facing fear while looking at the blank screen today I am facing a happier problem. It’s a “problem” I have known before but today rather than feeling like a problem it feels like a miracle of sorts, a shift – one of reconnection with myself and our Universal Shepherd. I had wondered at times if ever I would feel this surge of curiosity, wonder, and inspiration again.
It has come about through the miracles of grace and love that so many have extended to me and our family. It came (and is still coming) through walking through the valley of death’s shadows. It is coming through using sound principles of resilience and release.
Last week I wrote I had begun to look at Tom’s chair as empty like the tomb of Christ. In so doing it became a symbol of his life beyond the chair.
That was a shift in perception. And since it is Lent it carried extra emotional wings for me.
Today’s Wisdom Nugget … Words and Pictures Create Vivid Teaching/Learning
The power of picture . . . form . . . The chair. To a stranger it is just a living room chair. To me it is a bundle of memories. A visual reminder of our times of sharing during the last few months he was able to sit up and move about. A picture with emotional attachments. It was the last place he sat when he realized he could no longer do so. From there he moved downstairs to the hospice bed.
The power of words . . . after I wrote the blog last week I was inspired to do something that has made another big difference. I placed Solomon in Tom’s chair right next to Tom’s iPad (both things that bring a ton of feelings for me).
The power of action . . .I know enough about associative memory, the emotional brain, and stress hormones etc. to realize they are real. Obviously, the chair is not Tom. But I know the power of visual association and remember we can do things to change the context and create new associations that often can reduce or relieve some of the pain over time.
Sometimes pictures carry more weight than words. That is why I took a picture of Solomon in his new spot for you this morning.
Sometimes words give wings to the picture. Together, they create vivid thinking and learning. Action puts them into motion.
I know some ideas (spiritual, scientific, psychological, emotional and social) are hard to grasp and even when we do they quickly seem to get lost in the busyness of the day. Visuals help.
If you look at clouds in the sky which ones will you remember? The ones that have a form to them, of course! (“That one looks like a squirrel” for example).
Solomon serves as a form for 
pointing us to higher spiritual concepts and everyday wisdom that we all wish to grasp and remember.
The little ones (SJ and Lovey) remind us of the beginnings our our own journeys. Both Solomon’s perspective and theirs challenge us and provide food for our own souls.
So you faithful readers can see that the shift has started to reignite old visions and ignite new ones for me.
Yes, a surge of inner “juice’ around things I have always loved learning about or pondering, as food for my soul – has been ignited again.
In truth, you see, I have a personal library of impressive authors who have given their own time, energy and knowledge to share with the world.
Solomon knew he would make me happy by reminding me it is there to share.
It is my dream to pull together short pieces of wisdom from these books to inspire busy shepherds who are doing long days of caring for your sheep in the fields of life. That applies to parents, leaders, teachers and many other positions of care.
Solomon is pleased and and reminds us we can freely learn and play in the pastures because even in the valleys of life we are well shepherded.
How do pictures and words help you think more vividly and learn more quickly?
Margie and Solomon
