The Knots of Others

(1 min read)

We all have knots we can’t untangle, knots we carry around like hobbies. The problem is, from our perspective, we can’t see the threads so well, at least not at the zoomed-in level you need to be at to untangle the thing. Still, we work at it, slowly over time, even though our nails chip and our fingers bleed. We keep at it because the knot is ours, even if we’re not sure how it got there.

If you’ve ever seen someone working at their knot, you’d agree with me that they look a bit silly, like someone trying to wipe a stain out of their shirt while they’re still wearing it. They’re the worst person for the job.

Whatever you do, don’t laugh. This is serious business and not something you should walk away from.

There is a time where we see other people’s solutions better than they can. There is a time when we can pick any knot as long as it’s not ours. In these incredible moments, our eyes take on immeasurable value.

We should put everything aside, just for a moment, and share what we see. At the very least, we can extend and index finger and point to the thread they should loosen.

And, although this act in itself offers great satisfaction, we have to deal with the disappointing truth that this person may resent our interjection and that we will not get to experience the joy of the knot coming undone.

But they will.