Looking for the Big Picture

My colleague who is currently the Chair of the Cluster where I belong in UP Cebu always wants to see the big picture of things. I equate it to systems thinking, which means looking at the entire picture of where persons and things fall in their places and what is the end-goal of the system. It’s like looking at the whole system and seeing what role is played by each to achieve harmony and fulfill the system’s goals. It means seeing the value of each member in the system and the role each has to play, and understanding that each sub-system is a part of a larger system, just as a department or division is part of the whole school or university, and each family is part of the larger society. The performance of the department affects the entire university or company just as the state of families – whether they are healthy or dysfunctional – affects the entire society.

Looking for the big picture of things is like finding the harmony of tunes in the renditions of symphony orchestras or the harmony of voices in a soulful or a majestic choir. By looking for and looking at the big picture, we can play our different instruments in harmony with the other players to render musical compositions of varied expressions – grand, majestic, melancholic, jubilant, triumphant, romantic, or playful. Each instrument plays notes in union with a group of common instruments – the violins play together their notes, the clarinets their own notes, the violas their own notes, the pianist his or her own notes, etc., rendering the musical composition under the direction of a conductor who gives cues to the players and ensures the smooth movements and transitions and overall harmony in the music.

When we look for the bigger picture of things, our vision is not narrowed down to our own selfish interests and concerns. We will always be looking at where persons and things fall in their proper places, and will always be aware that we are only members of an orchestra and that we are playing our instruments in harmony with others players to render a musical piece successfully and beautifully. Playing our roles in the system is like playing our instruments in an orchestra, cognizant of the roles that the other persons play, acknowledging their talents and contributions to the workings of the entire system. The result would be a delightful big picture to look at.

When we look for the bigger picture of things, we also look for the welfare not only of each member in the system, but also the welfare of the entire system. We also see that each has to perform well, and that each should not only think of one’s self but should think of how the entire system – department, university, company, society, nation – works to maintain harmony and achieve progressive development towards achieving higher and higher goals.  It means looking beyond the present towards the future, and projecting what will the big picture be in the coming years. I find this idea liberating, as I should not think of my or my group’s good only, but the good of the entire Department or Cluster where I belong, and the good of the University system where I belong. Systems thinking or looking for the bigger picture of things widens my consciousness and my heart as well, and I know I have to make sure that I play my instrument in harmony with the other players so that we can achieve our goals as one unit, and contribute to the achievement of the goals of the larger system where we belong.

Taking this idea to a higher level, looking for the big picture is the same as picturing in our heads the grand scheme of things or the cosmic plan of the Creator. The universe is governed by a Conductor who ensures the harmony and music of the spheres. The most important thing is to consider that the end or goal of humans is not themselves but to give glory to their Creator. If this perspective is lost, all human endeavors will just be in the human, limited plane, without any divine and eternal significance.

The sad thing is that in our imperfect society and marred world, discordant notes are being played, coming out from narrowed vision, self-conceit, or some other twisted or sinful motives. There is a need to look unto our Conductor, the Director and the Architect of the Universe, and play our instruments under His conducting. This entails an attitude of always looking for and looking at the big picture. We look for the entire view of things where everyone and everything are placed, and we strive to create a delightful picture that gives glory to the Author of our Lives.