Knowledge vs Understanding. Information vs Experience. Sympathy vs Empathy. Survival vs Living. A map vs the territory it encompasses.
Walking on this territory I see a tree. What are the odds of that happening? The map says to first calculate the number of trees on the land and then to… but the territory has already answered: One out of one because it happened. And zero if it did not.
Walking on this territory I want to see something beautiful. The map points me the way and so I go. The territory can do no such thing. Instead, the territory asks me, “What is something beautiful to see?”
Walking on this territory I wonder which is more important. You see the map lets me see so much more than my eyes can. My eyes are bound to the surface, while the map looks from above. And with all these things to see, I can learn so much. I can learn it all. Every crack, cravats, bump and slump to this uneven land. I can know it all.
Walking on this territory I wonder then, why bother? Why bother to be at the territory if I can already know everything about it? Well, the thing is that you can see and learn from the map as long as you want… but you will not understand and feel until you are on the territory. You may know the length of the grass, but you will not feel its texture. You could imagine the color green covering the land, but only a few have the imagination to create the shades of green as every individual plant grows as its own. And no map has ever covered the sound of a stream as the endless flow of water runs downhill forever.
A map is useful, yes. And a territory is beautiful, yes. So why not both?
Look at the map for guidance, but don’t miss the birds flying away. Watch the grass blow to the mercy of the wind, but don’t bend your path as the grass does. They are both choices for a reason. They let you know, understand, learn, experience, sympathize, empathize, survive, and live.
And you want to know what I think is the best? To use the map in order to find the highest point on the territory. The spot with the best view and the most fun arriving there. Once there, put the map in your pocket, because it’s best to have going down as well, and look around. Use those beautiful eyes of yours to see the territory for what is, not what it says it’ll be.
That’s how I see it. It’s not one or the other on how to live your life and learn of the world. It’s using both when fitting and allowing yourself to grow as you want, not how you must.
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