The simple realizations are often the most profound

Epiphanies come from the things we typically ignore

The simple realizations are often the most profound.

Last week the club I lead on campus had an end-of-the-year dinner to announce the new board members. At the end of the evening, we were sitting at some picnic tables talking. As usual, I was telling them about something I had read in a book, The Art of Gathering. I explained an epiphany I had while reading: optimized seating for social events is really important, yet most restaurants seat people in lines, preventing everyone at a table from seeing each other. Carlton, one of our board members, commented “so you’re saying that sitting in a circle is the best seating arrangement for groups?”, to which I agreed. He laughed and said, “that seems pretty obvious, not sure I would've written about that in a book”. Carlton is known for poking fun at us, so I wasn’t offended, but his comment stuck with me; why did this simple concept feel like a breakthrough despite how obvious it is?

I’ve come to understand that the most profound realizations are always about that which is most obvious. Carl Jung, the Swiss psychoanalyst, once remarked that  “modern man does not see God because he does not look low enough.” I think this idea is at the core of what it means to have an epiphany; there are many things that are easy to ignore but are hugely impactful when we pay them proper attention. I wasn’t surprised that my buddy didn’t share my reaction to the epiphany about seating arrangements; most of the time, epiphanies won't have the same groundbreaking effect on others because they are largely based on context; that which is occurring in one’s life greatly affects how one sees the world. 

Recently, an epiphany I’ve had is that creating long-lasting and meaningful friendships takes a lot of effort. As I am reaching the end of a chapter in my life, the strength of my relationships will be put to the test. Because of this simple realization, I have become more intentional about ensuring that my friendships don’t die because of distance. Paying attention to these small flashes of insight has had a hugely positive impact on my life; it is often the seemingly insignificant things that can make the biggest difference in your life.