Dear Thinkers,

When my wife tells me about someone I don’t know, I always ask the same question: what kind of animal are they?

A lot of times the world and what’s in it is beyond our understanding. We can’t know or name a thing precisely. But comparisons help. If we can say what a thing is like or put it in a category with other like things, we can begin to get a sense of the thing itself.

So when you come across something new, before you ask what it is, ask what it is like. You’ll probably get a better answer.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck