We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.
~Anais Nin
My husband called me to the kitchen window a few days ago and asked me what I thought was attached to (and hanging from) the squirrel's nest in the bushes that line our driveway. It looked like a dead rabbit, but it couldn't be, right? Too heavy! We stared at the thing for several minutes trying to understand what we were seeing. Then it moved--Woh! Could it be a live rabbit? A squirrel? Something else?
The bush is only ten yards from the window but we couldn't figure it out.
When we went out for a walk after breakfast and stood right under the nest, we could see the mirage was a plastic bag subtly moving with the occasional breeze. We understood then that once we'd decided it was an animal--as unlikely as that possibility was--it was almost impossible to see anything else until we got closer.
First Impressions
We laughed out loud and saw how we do this all the time. We see or hear something, someone, or some action, and the brain immediately forms an impression. It's often difficult to depart from that.
This isn't a post about the importance of first impressions, though it could be I suppose. It's just a reminder for us (and by us, I mean me) to not invest too much of ourselves in that first impression. I know it's hard to tell from my amateurish photo, but the plastic bag appeared quite different from what it actually was until I got near enough to see it clearly.
Examples:
- A while ago in our pool locker room, I said hello to a fellow swimmer. She ignored me, or so I assumed, and I was a little miffed. I began to make up stories about why she didn't reply, and none of them were generous. I found out later that she's deaf. Hello, Judy!
- I like to think that most days I see the world through a prism of positivity and gratitude, but once in a while I wake up on the wrong side of the bed, and I perceive the world as competitive, mean-spirited, and self-serving. We're all out for Number 1, and I only see actions that reinforce that wold view. Positive, generous and life-affirming acts are filtered out. However, if by accident or conscious intention I change my mind--the world's not against me, I'm just having an off day--I'm looking at a whole new world and find evidence to support that belief.
If you don't like what's happening in your life, change your mind.
~The Dalai Lama
So, as usual, this is a post about something we all know but often don't attend to. We have more power than we think. When you think someone is out to get you, step a little closer. Make a different assumption. See what happens. When life feels threatening, name one thing you're grateful for. Notice if you see more of those things.
That's it for today, friends. Sending good ki, as always!
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