Do metaphors matter in life?

From The Sunday Times (17 April 2011) in the article "Life is a metaphor"...

...being aware of metaphors reminds you of the central role poetic skills play in our thought. If much of our thinking is shaped and driven by metaphor, then the skilled thinker will be able to recognise patterns, blend them, apprehend the relationships and pursue unexpected likenesses.

Even the hardest of the sciences depends on a foundation of metaphors. To be aware of metaphors is to be humbled by the complexity of the world, to realise that deep in the undercurrents of thought there are thousands of lenses popping up between us and the world, and that we're surrounded at all times by what Professor Steven Pinker of Harvard's psychology department once called "pedestrian poetry".

David Brooks (New York Times)

Every Sunday, I always look forward to reading the section, "Think", of The Sunday Times. Just yesterday, the headline "Life is a metaphor" caught my attention pretty fast and got me interested to explore more about the content in the article. Life is indeed full of metaphors. I feel that the kinda metaphors that we apply to our lives in a way are lenses that we have chosen to see life. And I think metaphors also in a way help us, or at least me, to get in touch and relate better to the realities of life, they are bridges that facilitate connection. Sometimes, they are navigators in the complexity of this society. Sometimes, they are lighthouses that lead us to acceptance. Ain't they interesting? But how much are we really interested in them? Do we want to spend time to think about them? What metaphor would you use for your own life? I would be interested to hear from you if you are interested to think about it and share :)

Once in a while, it's really great to receive texts from friends asking about how I've been and that I have been thought of and missed. It's really sweet of them :) Ha, just yesterday, got a lovely text from a dear friend whom I have not met for quite a few months and I thought the last sentence of her text was kinda interesting and got me thinking abit..."Dun be too philosophical k!" Haha, I did not know how to respond to that and I thought I should ask her why but I did not and maybe I should the next time we meet up :P I asked myself...Silly gal, are you really getting too philosophical at times? Is it not good? Has it become irritating? Maybe there ought to be more self reflection on my part. You know, sometimes, I do feel like an alien or maybe a freak :P within the community. Well, maybe within this community, pragmatism overpowers idealism.