An ode to frameworks

“So she’s, like, a woo-woo kind of girl?”

My friend looked at me, eyebrow raised in question. I had just told him how my sister is spiritual and likes crystals. Had I been prepared for an accusation, I would have scoffed in defense. But instead, my eyes drifted upward in thought, suddenly processing something I’d never thought explicitly before.

To answer his question, like yeah, I guess. But his asking told me he had missed the point entirely. It’s not so much about the things she believes, or whether she truly believes them to be real, but the fact that she navigates the world confidently because she found a framework that helps her do just that.

Frameworks are cool. And it’s a good thing they are, because we will never escape them. Ever. And that’s kind of cool in itself.

Here are some of the ones I’ve found especially interesting or valuable:

• Astrology providing structure and meaning, regardless of truthiness
• Exploring another culture through their food
• Learning about history through art
• Movement as the basis for reality
• Religion and ritual for navigating death
• The assumption that objects are inherently separate, and our senses (especially sight) following suit
• Writing and exposition as a tool for thought