Finding the Seams of Perception

The tricky thing about experiencing the territory beneath our maps is that we habitually map over the gaps as fast as we can find them — the act of seeing that reality isn't what we believed itself changes our belief. Every once in a while though, we'll run into a situation that blesses us with an undeniable distinction that persists long enough to be studied. Once upon a time I went lobster diving with some cousins and uncles. My uncle Joe had a lot more experience diving for lobsters than me, and so it wasn't very surprising that he was coming up with two to three times as many lobsters as the rest of us. I asked to buddy with him for a bit, so I could see what he was doing differently. Surely, the difference is that he knows which rocks to look beneath, right? Or maybe he's looking deeper into the crevices? Nope. It's hard to convey in words how weird this experience is. You're swimming along, amidst kelp, rocks, and a sandy bottom. Definitely no lobster. This is not one of those "Wow, isn't camo cool!" scenes where you first can't see the leopard, then can't unsee it. Forests are busy enough that you know there's room for a cat to hide, even if it seems like it should be easier to find. This is a scene of some kelp, a bit of rock, and a lot of sand. Definitely no lobsters. Not even a place for a lobster to hide. And then he'd just reach out into this picture and pull out a lobster. Over and over. You know that magic trick where the magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat? I…