I’m writing this from Norway — a country of striking landscapes, resilient people and (happily for me), yarn shops in every town.
Our trip has reminded me of something important: the quiet power of framing. I’m very conscious of only having bits of a story.
On Easter Sunday, we found a church service advertised as being in English. We arrived eager and grateful and were welcomed warmly in English — then the rest of the service unfolded in Norwegian! Without a frame for what was happening or where we were headed, we felt like we were trying to jump onto a moving train.
The next day, we visited the Fram Museum — a stunning space built around Norway’s famous polar exploration ship. Yet we didn’t know what the Fram was when we walked in. The exhibits immediately immersed us in fascinating details — artifacts, timelines, explorers’ names — but with no storyline to anchor them and no clear route through the space to understand the story in order.
Both places were designed to be welcoming. Both were rich with meaning. And yet, without framing the story first, it was difficult to fully enter in.
This isn’t just a personal preference. It’s human.
Big picture framing — offering a sense of where we are, where we’re going, and why it matters — is essential for helping people engage meaningfully.
Research shows that big picture thinking strengthens adaptability. When we can see the whole, we’re better able to flex, navigate complexity, and find our place in changing circumstances.
At the same time, I recognize the reverse can also be true: for those who are naturally detail-focused, a sweeping plotline might feel frustratingly thin.
Framing isn’t about choosing between the overview or the details. It’s about holding both, giving people something to anchor to before inviting them into the richness of the specifics.
In a world where each of us only brings partial information, context is a gift. It says: You belong here. You’re part of something bigger.
And that’s a message all of us — whether detail-lovers or big-picture thinkers — need more than ever.
