Unseen Things

“Patterns as funny things, for you can see them your entire life without ever noticing them.” – Jim McKelvey

Unseen Things

There was highly charged emotion during our phone call.  I could almost feel Deanna DeBrunner’s wet tears dripping directly into my ears, as they seemed to be flowing right through the Bluetooth connection into my headset.  Those virtual tears were then absorbed directly into my blood where they, then, collected around my heart.  It was a good thing I knew my physical reaction wasn’t really happening, otherwise my chest would have collapsed.

All of this was the result of something none of us can see.  All we can see are the results and indirect consequences.  And, these tears were tied to one particular indirect effect. Though perhaps an unforeseen circumstance, seeing a pattern, would have, at least, opened our understanding of a possibility.  And in the moment, it was as if, all of a sudden, I could see a pattern. Something I could see all along, but had been blind to.

In this instance, I could almost visualize Jim McKelvey, one of the founders of “Square,” sitting in the room with me saying, “Patterns are funny things, for you can see them your entire life without ever noticing them.  But once you finally notice, they appear everywhere.”

He also taught me that once one can see a pattern, it is like “finally seeing the world in three dimensions.”  In other words, one can still be looking at the same thing, yet recognition of its associative pattern will enhance the view, give it more depth, and reveal even more patterns that have and are changing the world.

We are living in, once again, hyper-change.  I say once again, because I can still remember, vividly, the last hyper-change of not long ago, the economic collapse of 2008.  It was as if an invisible hand flipped a switch and instantly, nothing was as it once was.  There was a pattern, unseen by most, leading up to this seemingly sudden change.  And, recognition of that pattern has allowed many to see even more patterns as a result.  One such pattern was recognizable during my phone call with Deanna.

The Seller of the home she was in the process of purchasing lost their job as a result of the COVID-19 emergency.  That meant they were unable to get a loan to make their new purchase.  So, they were compelled to cancelled the agreement for the sale of their home to Deanna.  This was the indirect effect from an unseen thing.  Not the illness itself.  A consequence.  As were Deanna’s free-flowing tears.  And, there is another pattern to see here; more indirect effects, affected by Deanna herself.

“Please tell them I am so sorry for them!”  She said.  “Tell them I understand and ask them if there is something I can do for them.”

As soon as these words left her lips, the highly charged emotion during our phone call changed instantly.  I could feel Deanna’s empathy and goodness flow immediately, directly into my ears, again, seemingly, flowing right through the Bluetooth connection into my headset.  They were then absorbed directly into my blood where they, then, collected around my heart.  It was pure goodness and love!  We both enjoyed a new physical reaction as a result.  Her tears were gone and my chest wanted to explode outward with consolation toward all involved.

All of this was the result of unseen things.  Yet, we can see and feel both the direct and indirect consequences.  Deanna’s good intentions and subsequent actions opened the path for a direct, indirect positive effect.  It is a pattern recognizable from our last bout with hyper-change. 

Perhaps it is the most important pattern you and I will see as we face more from the unseen; yet to offer more wonderful possibilities and patterns for our understanding. Showing empathy and giving love to all others, especially during difficult times, always opens a path to positive effect.

“Patterns are funny things, for you can see them your entire life without ever noticing them.  But once you finally notice, they appear everywhere.”