A Lesson from Omar the Squirrel

“… I once had a pet pine squirrel named Omar who lived in the cotton secret and springy dark of our old green davenport; Omar knew that davenport; he knew from the Inside what I only sat on from the Out, and trusted his knowledge to keep him from being squashed by my ignorance. He survived until a red plaid blanket – spread to camouflage the worn-out Outside – confused him so he lost faith in his familiarity with the In. Instead of trying to incorporate a plaid exterior into the scheme of his world he moved to the rainspout at the back of the house and was drowned in the first fall shower, probably still blaming that blanket: damn this world that just won’t hold still for us!” Ken Kesey, “Sometimes a Great Notion”

Our world is forever changing and it’s moving faster every day. Whether we like it or not, we must move with it and make a change. It can be a bit unnerving to move from the “cotton secret and springy dark” of our comfort zone, but sooner or later we are forced to make a change. Despite the possibility of being squashed or the probability that we’ll suffer some discomfort, we must move on.

Why not embrace change and move forward while there’s little urgency to do so. In other words, let’s not wait for someone or something to create that urgency by putting a “plaid exterior” over us. Better to take the broader view (V/TO™), explore the changes that make the most sense (Clarity Break™) and then go for it.

The world won’t hold still for us. But, don’t blame the blanket and don’t rush to the rainspout. Explore the options and create something better than the “old green davenport”.