E.S.P.

We could all use a little E.S.P. now and then. I'd like to share mine: a distillation of wisdom from three of my favorite authors,

Suzette Haden Elgin

Theodore Sturgeon

Terry Pratchett.

From the esteemed and learned Dr. Elgin, this nugget gleaned from "The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense":

Speak to the presupposition.

Meaning: look beneath the surface of any communication that has an emotional 'hook' in it; and address what's underneath, to yourself in your own awareness, even if you don't [or can't] articulate it to the other party involved.

From the late and amazing Mr. Sturgeon, a theme played out in many of his short stories, among them "Microcosmic God":

Ask the NEXT question.

Meaning: don't stop on the surface of any situation. Look beyond, look within.

And from the even more amazing, if possible, Mr. Pratchett, a theme featured in just about everything he writes, but clearly enunciated in "The Thief of Time":

See what's REALLY there.

Three simple-seeming aphorisms; but learning to put them into practice is the craft of a lifetime.

And when you look beneath the surface of anything that seems a little odd or out of place,

ask probing questions, and

keep yourself as grounded in reality as possible while doing it...

You'll often find that, indeed, you have all the E.S.P. you need.