Right now I am sitting in a chair. One of the miracles of spoken and written language is that when things are given names, such as chair, we know what something is just because of its name. Usually, this is great because it allows us to communicate a lot of information easily and quickly.
However, by deciding what something is…we also decide what it is not. We “judge” it to be one thing rather than another. And we may be missing qualities, characteristics and uses that this “something” may have that we haven’t thought of before.
Another thing about describing things. Most adjectives are descriptions that are relative to other things. For instance, if we say that something is small, we mean that it is small in relation to something that is bigger. Heavy indicates that something else is lighter. And these perceptions can vary widely depending upon your perspective. Small to a 5-year old is much different than it is to you. Get the idea?
By naming things and then describing them with adjectives, we categorize them – usually without thought - and we may miss opportunities to be creative with what is around us.
So here is today’s exercise.
Look around you and pick an object. Hint: Try choosing an object that you can hold in your hand or touch. (Remember…using more of our senses gives us access to more information!)
- Describe this object without using words that are relative to other things (i.e. big/small.)
- List the object’s characteristics rather than what it is (the name we give it) or what it is normally used for. (i.e. It has legs. It is white. It is made of wood.)
- See what you come up with! Go for at least ten things.
How did you do? Did you feel yourself being more aware of the parts of the object rather than what it is? Did you think of a use for it that you haven’t thought of before?
By looking at something with new eyes and suspending judgment about what it is or what it can be used for…you become more aware of ways to be creative with things that are around you everyday.
Just Imagine That!
