Pencils from Elementary School (From the Daily Update (5/27/09)

Good Morning.

In Donald Miller's book, "Searching For God Knows What", the author
takes on a subject that he calls the "Lifeboat Theory". Essentially,
this is the idea that we are all in a sinking boat called "Life" and
we are all trying our hardest to prove that we belong to stay in the
lifeboat and that maybe someone else should go overboard, thus saving
the weight and keeping the ship from sinking. One of us would argue
that he was an engineer, and given the proper amount of time, might be
able to fix the boat. Another might say that she was a doctor and
that she would be able to care for anyone who became ill. Another,
still, might say that he were a minister, and as such would be able to
provide spiritual direction and counseling, should anyone chose to
seek it.

In any case, we are all trying to use everything that we have in our
little selves to prove to each other, to God, to the stars themselves
that we are valid, worthy, and needed on this marble we call Earth.

I thought of this only because I remembered some things from
elementary school. I often sit in a chair with my laptop, and this
causes my dear legs to get very warm, and so I needed one of those
little lap desks that you see at places like The Sharper Image,
Brookstone, or, yes, dare I say it, Sky Mall magazine. Well, I was
talking about this and how I needed one but didn't want to spend the
money when Andrew Owens alerted me to the fact that he owned one that
he did not use and that I could have. Wonderful. The desktop has a
very school-desk feel to it. It has one of those long, shallow
indentions at the top, ideally the place for storing a pencil or pen
of some kind.

Well, for some reason, this got me thinking about those days in
elementary school when one of the best ways to subtly and stylishly
establish yourself as Somebody Who Knows Something About The World was
to have a really cool looking pencil to put in that little spot. I'm
talking about something by PenTech or Penzel or something of similar
nature. It would be a dark and strong lead with an amazing pattern on
it. It would have a special eraser attached to the top and you would
no doubt be keeping it sharpened to the finest point. You may have
even added a rubberized grip so that your pencil would not fly off and
poke someone's eye out in the event that your hand got really sweaty
during a marathon session of writing your name in block and bubble
letters. I remember clearly how a pencil was a status symbol. So
were clothes and so was a haircut and so were many other things. But
I find it incredible that we, even as little children, wanted to prove
something, and would find any means necessary to do so- even by
investing in some really cool pencils.

By and large, some things never change.