Inside and outside the box

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

THE box can symbolize many things. In this particular piece, it symbolizes mainly our togetherness, our unity, our being one human family. Yes, we belong to one big box, the box of humanity.

We can also say that inside that one big, original box, there are many other smaller boxes that can indicate the race we belong to, our nationality, and other distinctions. Still there are other smaller boxes that indicate the kind of profession or opinionswe share, or anything that we share in common.

It’s in these smaller boxes that we can have our differences and even our conflicts, especially in the area of opinions, politics, fashion, etc. That is something to be expected and should not be considered “a priori” as bad.

These differences and conflicts can be good, and we should try our best to make them work for the good of all by making them complement each other, thereby enriching everyone somehow.

Thus, it is good that we stay inside our boxes as much as possible without, of course, allowing ourselves to be boxed in when it is necessary for us to open ourselves to the other different and even conflicting boxes.

Yes, for the sake of privacy we can have our own space, our own shell, but we should not allow these private spaces and shells to imprison us. Just like when we are developed as a fetus inside the womb of our mothers, we cannot stay there indefinitely. We have to getout of it.

This is when we have to acquire the nose to smell the distinction between when we should be inside our specific boxes and when we can and should be outside them. Offhand, I believe that we should be inside our specific boxes most of the time.

To be outside our boxes should be something exceptional and should be pursued with the appropriate reason that hopefully would redound to the good of all or at least of the majority. In the end, what should push us to go outside is what our conscience, our intimate dialogue with God, would tell us.

We need to get out of our boxes from time to time if only to avoid routine and complacency. Staying inside our boxes can give rise to simply doing things out of compliance which is already a good reason to be inside. But for our boxes to grow, to improve, to be more enriched, we need to get out of it to get inputs from outside that can be helpful. Let’s be wary of the danger of in-breeding.

That is why we need from time to time to think out of the box, for example. This way our systems and procedures can be improved, and the problems and difficulties encountered there can be resolved with greater probability.

Let’s remember that there will always be new things and new challenges to tackle. The world is always evolving even if it remains basically the same. We just cannot meet them effectively by doing the same things inside our own boxes.

Even in the issue of fidelity to one’s vocation or to one’s commitments as in marriage, for example, there is always need to think out of the box from time to time to keep that fidelity going and growing, adapting to the new challenges of the times. We just cannot be doing the same things blindly or mindlessly. That’s the formula for infidelity and death.

In the end, to think out of the box is a matter of being vitally united with the Holy Spirit. He will always be leading us to where we should be. He never allows us to get boxed in or imprisoned in our own world.

Thus, Christ said: “Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (Jn 3,7-8)

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com