I have been teaching my step daughter to read.
It is an education for both of us.
I started with the signs we see on familiar routes.
Open.
Closed.
For Sale.
Sold.
Oblivious at first, she cannot see what I point at.
Reminds me of the Buddhist parable called ‘Pointing at the Moon’.
Until one understands what ‘pointing at’ means, one is liable to mistake the finger for the moon.
Then, suddenly she sees it.
A pattern of letters that means
‘Open’.
‘Closed’.
‘For sale’.
‘Sold.’
Initially she might cheat and ‘remember’ rather than recognize the word.
But now, she cannot.
Closed isn’t open and open can’t be closed.
The word now arises whether she looks for it or not, and subtly imparts its message.
Yet, a few weeks ago, there was nothing there at all.
Abracadabra
(c) 2023 Dr Simon Robinson
