Ink on Paper
June 9, 2010 Category: Digital Missions, Storytelling 2 Comments 
I had an interesting discussion with my youngest son the other day.
He had just finished a two day workshop with Sigmund Brower. He was so eager to share about his experience he was almost falling off the other chair in our home office.
After telling me a whole lot about his class he decided it was time to share his question. He asked “When you see a drawing of a box on a piece of paper what do you see?” I started to picture a colourful box filled with an assortment of ideas and concepts. I could picture the possibilities that the box represented. So, I proudly shared my insights with my son. He looked at me with a little bit of a glint in his eyes. “No” he said “it is just ink on paper”.
This took me by surprise until I thought more about it. Often we put things down on a page that represent a whole lot of stuff but it is only ink on paper. Whether it is in a magazine, a book, a newspaper or to take the analogy a little further pixels on a computer screen. That is until we bring our own life experiences and imagination to the things we see and hear.
When you see a drawing of a box on a piece of paper what do you see?
Rob Ross is a coordinator for Oikos Ministries (a network of organic churches). He is a disciple of Jesus (Making Disciples) who lives in Calgary, AB with his family. Connect with Rob on Facebook or Twitter.
Rob is a disciple of Jesus. He serves as a facilitator for Oikos Ministries. He enjoys being a husband, father, friend, online missionary, writer, storyteller, and chaplain. He lives in Calgary, AB with his family. Facebook pages: Oikos Canada and Making Disciples
That is a powerful concept. It is just ink until the human imagination renders it otherwise. I don't have anything fancy to say, but that is worth chewing on for a while.
I am still chewing on it myself. It amazes me how children make you think about things you never really thought about before.