Normally, I side step touchy subjects but an interesting metaphor occurred that gave me pause for reflection.

My brother and I are polar contrasts in several respects. He is a year younger and a retired army colonel with medical and pension benefits secured while I live on the edge financially. I have no health insurance but am quite fit with no ongoing debilitations though I understand that could always change in a heartbeat while he’s undergone two back surgeries along with a stroke and endures constant discomfort. This doesn’t make either one of us right or wrong in our life choices yet it provides the context for understandable political differences. When it comes to Trump, he doesn’t endorse the MAGA conspiracy crowd yet still deflects with false equivalencies such as Biden also took classified documents. He doesn’t want to talk about the whole situation with Trump’s legal peril because he voted for the guy, which is fine. I don’t wish to put him on the spot, especially remembering his physical condition. What’s the point in aggravating him further? Nonetheless, sometimes the urge is too compelling such as when the January 6 investigation first began and I asked him what he thought about Trump possibly getting indicted. He scoffed, saying Trump might get charged in Georgia but would never be charged for his actions surrounding the assault on the capital.

Fast forward to the day of Trump’s arraignment for his third indictment, this time for January 6, and I get a call during Trump’s court visit  from my brother in Florida. Naturally, I’d been thinking about him but wonder why the hell he would phone me at such a pivotal moment demonstrating his earlier mistake. I wonder what might’ve compelled him and answer the call but there wasn’t a response at the other end, only faint voices like he was on a golf course. Immediately, I realized that he’d butt dialed me. “HELLO” I repeated a few more times, listened for a few seconds and finally hung up, amused. The metaphor perfectly characterized our communication. Will I mention the episode the next time we talk? No because there’s no need to remind him of his error, which merely alienates.

My brother and I will continue not seeing eye to eye, this dynamic having been classically illustrated in 1998 when he completely rejected my observation that climate change had begun and the earth was warming. Since then I’ve learned to recognize how appreciating metaphors can facilitate not just communication on a deeper level but registering the bigger picture. Metaphors are most powerful when they remind us to keep quiet even when we think someone may have their head up their butt.

So let’s pull a Keen Outlook Card on the communication with my brother:

 

There is definitely some gloom left to heal between us and the country’s political turmoil reflects that in one sense. I suppose the old cliche of a-step-at-a-time holds true for rapprochement as much as anything else.