Something for the Journey
from Darrick Jackson, Director of Ministries of Lifelong Learning
A few weeks ago, as part of a class assignment, I spent th e week reflecting on the painting Study for Improvisation V by Wassily Kandinsky. This exercise focused on noticing what is going on and what you see. For the first few days, I interpreted this abstract painting to be of a field with a bridge going through the middle into a building. On day three, I saw a person standing on what I had initially thought of as a tree. With that noticing, the entire picture changed. There was no longer a bridge in the center. Now, it was a pool of water in a streambed. What I had thought of as the leaves of the tree now looked like a bridge and its reflection. The picture completely changed because of one slight shift of perspective. This experience was a good reminder of how one change can affect your entire perception.
In life and ministry, we often need to have a deeper understanding of what is occurring in the moment. We may miss something vitally important if we go with our initial impression. Visual Thinking Strategies employs questions that can be helpful when finding that underlying meaning. For this article, I have slightly adapted them to apply more directly outside of artistic contexts. The first question, “What’s going on?” asks us to draw on our senses and cultural understandings to identify what is happening. Pay attention to the small details. They might have a lot to say. The second is, “What makes you say that?” Now, we need to question our assumptions. Are we responding to what is before us, or are we bringing our own issues into the situation? Lastly, we ask, “What more can you find?” Like I experienced with the Kandinsky painting, sometimes it takes a while to notice things. It can be helpful to take the time to reconsider your initial impressions.
As we navigate a complex world, may these questions help us reflect more deeply on the situations we find ourselves in. And may we emerge with more clarity and understanding to engage whatever is next.
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