To Remind Myself Of What I Already Know

“Try to pick the pen up off the table.”

The unlucky one is the first to raise her hand. The one who is certain that this time, no matter how many seminar exercises have shown her up before…THIS time, she’s got it nailed…

Triumphant, she leaps up and goes to the front of the room.  In one swift move, she picks up the pen and holds it at eye level for the coach to see.  Some heads tilt in the watching crowd.  They’re waiting, wary.

The leader’s voice, in its smoothness, betrays the fact that this was his expected result.   He speaks gently, as if to a child.  “No. You picked up the pen.  I said to TRY to pick up the pen.”

Her smile evaporates, and the critic inside her speaks reprovingly.  She sighs, and smiles, and fights the urge to say aloud the words that should have materialized just seconds before she raised her hand. 

“Try not.  Do... or do not.  There is no try.”

And then the critic says, shaking its little critical head,  Well, you can at least be glad you didn’t quote Yoda out loud…

Again, the coach says, this time, with just a trace of slightly sadistic glee,  “Try to pick the pen up off the table.”

The ensuing pantomime is inevitably comical.  The pen seems to be glued, fused to the table.  No matter how hard she tries, it will not budge. 

Some of the laughter from the audience, it must be said, is due to relief that they hadn’t been foolish enough to raise their hands.  But a person trying and failing to do something, repeatedly, no matter how hard they struggle, hits home.

After a time, the coach has mercy on the pupil.  He says softly, “Now. Pick up the pen.”

As the pen rises again, the sigh from all involved is audible.

Success.  Thanks, Yoda…

~~~~~