When Thinking “Outside the Box” Goes Wrong
A writer friend of mine, just the other day, told me to “think outside the box.”
Although, my eyes saw these words, my brain interpreted them, and I was left befuddled. This is a new and rather strange phrase that I have never heard before. Surely, this must be the first time such a thing has been spoken.
What do I do with it? Well, I respect the friend who said it, so I decided to experiment with his novel suggestion. Here, I am sharing the results with all human and non-human life forms who mistakenly stumble across this post.
First, there was the issue of why I was to think outside the box, but I tabled that for the time being.
Next, the only logical thing was to think about how I would think in a new way, when no longer in the box. Will I stop having my usual great ideas?
Anyway, I tilted my weight a little toward the left side of my body. I put my pencil in my shirt pocket and my little notebook in my back pocket. That was a bit of a chore reaching back there.
Next, I tried to stretch out my right leg a little bit, gradually. This is always the hard part. I was wearing my ice skates for some reason and was afraid of slicing into the box. “What a dunce!” I thought to myself.
This adds a bit of comedy to the situation, sure, but the box cannot be replaced.
So, I did the same with my left leg with the same issue presenting itself. I realized it was going to be very difficult using my arms to lift myself up. I wish I had started that strength regiment about now!
Then, I remembered I had purchased weights but they would not fit inside the box. Oh well.
A terrible reality hit me about then: even if I can stand, there is a strong possibility these razor-sharp blades will damage the bottom of this delicate box. “How did I even get in here?” I wondered.
I pulled up on one knee and caught my breath for a minute. My mission was still the same, but I had no clear plan to get out of the box. As I have read and been taught to do, I slowed down my breathing and became mindful of my surroundings.
An interesting thing happened. I began to form ideas one might call “counter-intuitive.” This was a brand new feeling.
It seemed that my present circumstances might require a thought process of an unprecedented type. In other words, to find a solution I needed to think in a way no one has previously. Wow, I wish there was a term or something to describe what I was doing.
It occured to me that perhaps I did not need to get all-the-way out of the box. Besides, doing so was a scary thought. The box was a comforting mainstay in my life. As luck would have it, I hatched a promising solution to my situation.
First, I must ensure that the box remained unharmed. As I said, the box cannot be replaced.
If I could very quickly turn upside-down, with my head at the bottom of the box, and flip my feet up into the air at the exact same time, my weight would turn the box over. Therefore, according to my calculations, I would end up with part of my lower portions out of the box while my head and most of my body stayed in the box.
This way, I could still think, and write down any good ideas, but manage to sort-of be out of the box while doing so. This was a win-win scenario. I must emphasize that this desirous outcome depended on perfect timing.
Sadly, I could not perform the maneuver, the box was torn open, I suffered a gash on my head, and I am pretty sure I blacked out from loss of blood.
No worries, though. With lots of effort and strong tape, I salvaged the box. I do have a large scar on my forehead and reduced vision in my left eye.
I consider these injuries a reminder to never “think out of the box” again! What was my friend thinking! What a goofball.