Half-n-Half

The other day I was looking for the half-n-half for my coffee.  I had just finished one the day before and knew we picked some up on our recent grocery run. 

But I couldn’t find it. You know how it works. You first look where it “usually” is, then you look in that “alternative” location. And if you don’t see it, you begin looking through the shelves. I did all of this, found nothing, and closed the fridge, thinking, “I know that we bought some”. So, then I checked the garage fridge, even though I knew it wouldn’t be there. And lo and behold it wasn’t.

Okay, where is this stuff?!

I decided to re-engage my search in the main fridge – same process. The likely place. No. The alternative place. No. Okay - go shelf by shelf, top to bottom. At the bottom, I pulled out the half-n-half and looked around, only to finally notice I was holding what I was looking for! What?!

You probably know what happened.

It was the half quart-sized one, which we never buy. We always buy the smaller pint-sized one.  I knew I was looking for half n half, but my brain pulled up the pint-sized image and that was the extent of my search results. Find the pint-sized carton, and you’ll find the half n half. That’s what my brain told me.

Have you been there?

It’s amazing how I didn’t “see” it.

This speaks so much to our narratives. We see what we choose to see, without consciously vetting things through. We just go to what we “think” we know.

We probably all need to be more self-aware and socially aware. These false narratives may be the cause of many relationship challenges at home and work.

I wonder what narratives are driving most of my thoughts. And how can I start fresh, with no narrative, just information, moving forward? How about you?

That reminds me of the cliché’: A mind is like a parachute; if it isn’t open it doesn’t work.

While we often toss clichés aside, perhaps this one needs a bit more attention.