The wisdom of a 10 year old

Sunday we joined some friends for lunch at Delta Cafe after church. As usual, they gave the 13 of us the secluded room in the back as to not scare off all their patrons from the restaurant. Following suit as most large groups of families do, the children took their spots at one end of the table, while the grown-ups huddled together at the other end of the table.

Josh, now 10 years of age and absolutely more mature than his closet cohort of 7, chose to sit at the double digit end of the table. Although, mom Angie, did still have him order from the kids menu.

All of us were exchanging light hearted conversation with of course a few jabs at the different gender specific characteristics. I believe we were discussing women's difficulty understanding how men can sit and be thinking about the insurmountable "nothing". Josh decided to put in his two cents. Quite eloquently, he began to recount a male vs. female brain philosophy that he had read about.

Josh informed us that a man's brain is made up of an assortment of various sized boxes each one labeled with a different subject. When a man wants to discuss a subject he pulls out the one box and can expound on the specific area. When he is finished, he puts the box away. The box theory prevents any subjects to intermingle with one another thus creating that one track mind stereotype.

On the other hand, Josh continued, the woman's brain is like a huge blob. All of her subjects blur together. This is what enables her to connect the many areas of her life into one conversation, confusing the man who has to hurriedly get each box out one at a time. So far, so good, Josh delivered his theory with clarity.

We all were amused by his input to our conversation. BUT, Josh said, do you know what the largest box in the man's brain is about?

**dramatic pause**

All of the adults are smirking.

Jeff, Josh's dad, typically one of the most calm and easy going individuals I know, is now rapidly shifting his "boxes" at record speed, thinking there can only be one thing Josh is about to say. Beads of sweat are forming on Jeff's forehead.

Angie, Josh's mom, also one of the most calm and collected of women I know, is looking at Josh with eyebrows raised and I'm sure her "blob" of thoughts are churning and boiling at a speed competitive to Jeff's.

Josh, trying not to chuckle, says the largest box is the box of nothing.

A collective sigh from his parents expels like a deflating balloon. Then a nervous laugh from them both. The rest of us are cracking up, both at Josh's revelation and also the obvious relief from his parents.

Josh makes a good argument, because all of us women know that many times we have asked that man of ours, "What are you thinking about? " His response, "Nothing."

However, women and men alike, both know that men have another box just about equal to the nothing box that supersedes the rule of one subject at a time. Because they can link that box to about any other subject they discuss.

Thanks Josh and family for the enjoyable lunch conversation. Have a great Thursday.