Four blind people approach an elephant...

Four blind people approach an elephant, as they want to learn about the essence of the animal and describe this essence to their friends as best they can. The first person is standing face to face with the elephant and when she reaches out to feel the animal she grabs hold of the elephant's long swinging trunk. Elephants are like snakes! she determines. The second person climbs and sits atop the elephant's back. He reaches out and touches the back side of the elephants head and ears. Elephants are like enormous butterflies, he concludes. The third person approaches the elephant from its side. This person reaches out and feels the elephant's wrinkly underbelly. Elephants are like whales of the land, this person decides. The fourth person approaches the beautiful elephant from the back. He reaches out and feels the elephant's skinny and bristly tail. Elephants are like paint brushes! he delights.

When the four people gather around the fire later that night, they share their experience of the elephant with one another. "What an elegant giant," the man who sat atop declares. "Elegant giant?" questions the first. "Elephants are not so large." "Yes, elephants are small," agrees the fourth. "I could fit one in my pencil case," he says. "What are you talking about? The defining characteristic of an elephant is its grand size," chimes the third. Its grand size....

Technology is like the elephant. Grand in size it can be approached from multiple perspectives, all of which can be useful and relevant. When looked at from afar, the vast application of technology can seem enormous and intimidating, but when examined from up close, from more than one point of view with more than one application in mind, technology can be dynamic and exciting. Or so I hope it will be for me...