Thursday, December 29, 2011

"And, We're Renovating!"


One evening Meredith asked me to help her study for a test she was having the next day. As often happens, I could see the stress building and building as we started. Meredith kept complaining of a headache. Finally after it was clear we were getting little to no return for our efforts, I told Meredith (in all seriousness) that she probably had a headache because Merebith was running all over her brain trying to get the files she needed. Without skipping a beat, Meredith responded with gusto, "Yeah, and we're renovating."


Renovating? I wasn't expecting that. "What do you mean you're renovating?" I asked. "Mom, whenever I get smarter I have to make more room for my files," she said as if this was basic information I should already know. She explained that everything was a mess, that all the files were on the floor, and that a new area was being constructed. "That's a lot of work for Merebith...does she do that all by herself?" I asked.  She responded with new information: "Mom...all the characters that I've ever drawn make up the construction crew. Even that first person I ever drew in preschool--the one with the head and the legs coming straight off of it with no body."

Wow...Meredith must have drawn thousands of characters over the years. She's always adopting new ways to draw hairstyles, clothes, shoes... That's pretty amazing. Once again I had to digest this new information. I asked where Merebith slept while all this was going on. "Oh, she goes to her house. The Treasure of Files is just where she works." I followed up with, "What's Merebith's house like?" imagining the treasure trove that must be. Meredith explained that it is a really big house. "And Mom...all the artwork that I've ever made is hanging on the walls," she added with enthusiasm. Once again, I get the little shock from this new information. Like the characters, Meredith has made an abundance of artworks over the years.

Speaking of being a visual thinker, it's fun to imagine myself what Merebith's house looks like. I wonder how far my vision of Merebith's house differs from Meredith's vision. Do you make pictures in your mind of things that people describe to you?   I was talking to my hairstylist and the owner of the hair salon--imagining that they must both be very visual thinkers. The owner told me that he always has this experience of making a mental picture of what a client looks like when he is on the phone with her taking the appointment. Then he is often surprised when the client walks in the salon for the first time because she doesn't look like the picture he constructed. I would assume most people have this experience to some degree (or not?), but the people I've spoken with who are extremely visual seem to take it to a new level!

Oh, I just remembered that Meredith also said somewhere in that conversation that while Merebith is away, a security force of ants guards the Treasure of Files. She added that in emergency situations when the ants need to get the people out of the area, they yell, "Move it, move it, move it," gesturing with their hands (or legs, I suppose) to get moving on the double. I wonder where in the world the idea for army ants came from! I'll have to ask her and report back to you.

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