Today was sunny with expansive blue skies. Temperatures were moderate -- like a 'just right' day by Goldilocks standards <smile>. Looking out the windows, I noted that I was still thinking of the leaves/trees/forests metaphor. These are great metaphors for many things encountered along the journey.
The aphorism "can't see the forest for the trees" whirled around my brain all day. Examining this phrase occupied the day. This can reflect how we get so caught up in details that we can't see the larger picture. The opposite also fits. When the big pictures become so overwhelming you can't find the smaller details that can give us hope. My focus on the case numbers in the province can lead me in a direction that can't see that the absolute numbers cover up the rates that put the numbers in perspective -- like the positivity rate. On the other side, a global record set today helped me see some glimmer of hope. One billion people have been vaccinated world wide. Yes, that is one-ninth of the global population, but that is a lot of individuals choosing to be vaccinated -- a lot of leaves on many trees in the global forest.
I have used this metaphor to explain my research methods. The qualitative analysis techniques I use follow a deconstruction - reconstruction process. Many interviews, media transcripts, or web pages are read repeatedly and taken apart to small concepts. Once that is completed, the small concepts are rebuilt into groups and broader themes. So, we begin with the forest and take it apart to form piles of leaves. Then the leaves are sorted into smaller piles that are in turn reconstructed into branches and then trees.From this we are able to see the forest in a different way. The ability to see from multiple perspectives helps with the research, but can also help when navigating life or a global pandemic. <smile>
Again, many songs exist about leaves, trees, & forests. The selection for today speaks to stories from the forest, which fit my meanderings today. The prog rock genre claims this choice. Stay safe. Enjoy!
Songs from the Wood -- Jethro Tull
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