Big Brown Box

“It was dark, my friends and I thought we were going to be trapped forever in this godforsaken place. We tried to walk around a bit thinking we could find our way out, only then realizing that we were not at all alone. Rubbing shoulders with strangers and warm breaths felt creeping down each of our necks are feelings we have sworn not to mention again. It slowly became clear that so many had the unfortunate fate of being confined to those four walls of narrow-minded judgment. As resourceful as all of us were, we struggled to feel our way out, unfortunately with that came a lot of awkward moments of unnecessary closeness. From far away in one corner, we heard a shout of utter joy: “I found a way out”. One of us with his tiny yet determined pencil carved what was then used as a ladder. We all followed suit and created ladders of our own in order to be free once and for all, at least we all hoped we would be. Naturally it did not take long before the situation turned into complete chaos. All the eager prisoners climbing over each other like savages to get to the top of each wall where the promising light shone through. The first batch of this roaring stampede got out. We were to follow them outside, but hesitated, it seemed as if the laughter we heard in the beginning of the revolution is now turning into screams of despair and tears of disappointment. Most of those who we thought had escaped were hanging off the edge begging for a helping hand to pull them back in. We all stood there nailed to the narrow ledge after witnessing that unforeseen tragedy wondering what had just happened. Those of us who saw it simply could not believe our eyes in awe of the sheer magnitude of the space outside.

A big brown cardboard box. That was our prison. And the space outside turned out to be just as crowded, awkward, and tiresome. Never was there a bigger disappointment than the promise of a great idea outside that box, or inside it for that matter.

It should’ve been clear right then and there for everyone that an idea, a good idea does not conform to a time or a place, it is not in or out, and never is it right or wrong. Ideas are endless, good ideas are endlessly beautiful, and the measure of a good idea is never ever how it so convincingly meets the job requirements.

Finally, we hereby declare the redundant use of uncreative phrasing to describe the majestic offspring of our minds and hearts banned effective immediately. …”

This was an article published in this month’s edition of Interruptions Magazine (Banana Edition).

Written by Ali, Ashraf, and Myself.