{ found }

this morning i was attempting to connect speakers to the ancient piece of machinery that serves as a computer for me at work. i didn't see the correct input on the back of the console and wondered if it was indeed so ancient that the connections were different. i frowned at the metal of it all and then realized the OLD speaker jack was still plugged uselessly into the audio input...so it was right there in front of me, but hidden in plain sight from my hasty search.

the funny thing about this is that i got a new monitor (if you can't address the source of the problem, why not dance around it, right?) six weeks ago that, unlike my previous (also ancient) unit, didn't have an audio input. so the speaker jack that was hiding the right input wasn't even doing anything. the other end was simply dangling on the other side of the wall, plugged into nothing.

what really strikes me about this rather inconsequential situation (because even the smallest things in life become big metaphors for me) is that i've done (am doing) this in my life more than i'd care to admit. i'm trying to find a place for things, increase efficiency, and resolve issues lately, and i often feel like i'm spinning my wheels. there's no extra space, everything's too cluttered, and the activity of my efforts only complicates things further.

the thing is...what if the input i'm looking for is right in front of me, but it's already "in use" by something that no longer functions or contributes to my life at all?

those of you that read this don't need any further explication of that realization, so i'm going to leave it at that and hope that this pinpoint of enlightenment might mean as much to one of you as it does to me right now. all peace and strength to you for whatever footfall is next.


she