From The Archive of Isaac’s Insights
I have found a lot of joy and comfort in the past few weeks in old photos, videos, and musings about Isaac the dog. Here is an abbreviated version of an old favorite, titled “Isaac and the Elephant in the Room,” originally published on October 25, 2018.
Isaac jumped off the sofa and pulled out his toy elephant. He tossed the elephant in the air. He chewed on it. He jerked it around. He licked it. He honked all three of its squeakers. The elephant in the room was no match for the paw-stor. After a while, he tucked it under his head and fell asleep. The elephant that he had “fought” so hard had become his pillow. He rested on what had once rattled him.
We’ve all probably heard the phrase, “the elephant in the room,” to designate something that everybody sees but no one wants to address. We avoid something that we must eventually confront. We don’t deal with the tension and conflict that are as impossible to push away as an elephant.
Isaac gave me fresh perspective on how to deal with the issues we want to avoid. Resist the dread, and pull the elephant out of the its “hiding place.” There may be squeaking and pushes and pulls. There may also be relief we would not have found any other way. So often, once we’ve struggled with our elephants in the room, we are able to rest more easily. We may find more in common with the elephant than we imagined. What bothered us may end up comforting us.
Whether animals are real like Isaac or stuffed like the elephant, creation teaches us to learn the basics. Let’s cease dancing around the troubles we don’t want to address. Instead, let’s grab them by the paws and find the rest that God desires for all his children (and pets).
all good things to each of you,
dr. darian