FIVE “BLIND” MICE. 🐭
It was yet another Friday night in Stilton City whereat the evening wind ushered a veil of seaside mist and city smoke. Through the obscurity, a shoddy brick establishment would make itself known, betrayed only by the amber glow emanating through its faded windows, revealing the carefree music and lifted spirits brewing within.
On its front steps were five mice in their early thirties, vigorously exchanging greetings and embracing as they arrived at the old, familiar pub. The last time they’d gathered here was many moons ago on the last night of their college graduation. Yet, despite the several years that had passed, they were quick to remember the good times they’d shared. As they rekindled old inside jokes, their laughter proved just as contagious as they’d remembered.
After much jest and how-do-you-dos, it came time to address the elephant in the room. Where had everyone been and what had they been up to? Moreover, what had everyone learned along the way?
The mouse that everyone knew to have a keen sense of touch spoke up first. “In my experience of having traced my paws over every nook and cranny of this world, I think that life is all in the journey and its details. The big picture is not only bound to, but given significance by its parts. Our collections of memories, tears, and laughter are the true measurements of our lives.”
The other mice listened intently with the exception of one mouse who was known for her unparalleled sense of sight. She interrupted, “Actually, I think that life is all about the bigger picture. Details are secondary to the larger purpose that they serve. In my experience of being able to clearly see things that are far away, the overall shape of life is more important than the moments that make up our pasts. What use is reflection on the past if it does not inform a vision for the future?”
Bemused by how differently his two friends viewed life, the mouse who was known for his uncanny sense of smell chimed in, “I’m not sure which of you two I agree with, but what I do know is that life is all about the scents of our lovers and the aromas of our favorite food. After all, sex and a full belly are the primary drivers for our biological survival and reproduction. We’re just bags of molecules that continue metabolizing until we can create our own baby bags of molecules. What good are both the details and the bigger picture without a scientific explanation? There is no past or future that is exempt from the laws of the physical universe.”
Scowling, the fourth mouse with her excellent sense of hearing cleared her throat. As heads turned in her direction, she uttered, “As someone who deeply understands the power of music and its otherworldly ability to elicit emotions and inspiration, I think that life is about the intangible. Not everything needs an explanation and there is beauty in that uncertainty. It creates space for imagination and prepares the soul for wonder.”
There was a pause… then a flurry as the four mice jumped into a feral debate, sniping and snarling in defense of their perspectives, aggressively justifying their own universal truths and belittling one another.
But amidst the squabble, the one last mouse who had been silent all this time slowly rose up from her seat and slammed her paws on the table. Known for her immaculate sense of taste, she smacked her lips in disgust. “Shut up! All of you! We neither live in the past, nor do we live in the future. Having sampled all sorts of edibles across the globe, there is nothing that matters but the flavor of the present moment. Foul or fair, our immediate perceptions and reactions are the inflection point between the past and future. I’m simply happy to be here with you all and I don’t want to squander this time by focusing on how we’re different. Haven't we traveled here from all over to celebrate what we have in common?”
And so, the five mice sat in silence, slightly disgruntled, slightly ashamed, but together.