Gallery — Netherlands 2007

"Do you know the story of the blind men and the elephant?"

"Have you heard the one about the bear that walks into a bar?" I responded.

"I think that is a no," Shiro said. "Three blind men were shown an elephant. They touched it with their hands to determine what the creature was. The first man felt the trunk, and claimed that an elephant was like a snake. The second man touched its leg and claimed that an elephant was like a tree. The third man touched its tail, and claimed that the elephant was like a slender rope."

I nodded. "Oh. I get it. All of them were right. All of them were wrong. They couldn’t get the whole picture."

Shiro nodded. "Precisely. I am just another blind man. I do not get the whole picture of what transpires in all places. I am blind and limited. I would be a fool to think myself wise. And so, not knowing what the universe means, I can only try to be responsible with the knowledge, the strength, and the time given to me. I must be true to my heart."

"Sometimes that isn’t good enough," I said.

He tilted his head and looked up at me. "How do you know?"