Do My Eyes Deceive Me?
Everyone has had a time when they have overlooked something right in front of them. How often does it come down to a matter of seeing what we think we should see, or want to believe? I have a story to share with you about that very topic: seeing what life has to offer, and realizing that perception does not always give us everything that is available to us.
Recently I shared a fun evening with a close, long time friend, enjoying a great desert plate as we played a friendly but competitive round of cribbage games. My friend is very good at the game, and rarely misses anything.
This series of games had a very even matched quality, ending within only a few points difference. When the third game gave its two-to-three score, it was decided to have a tie-maker so we could end the match with both of us winning.
Now the pressure was on, much more in this game than in the prior ones. We stayed fairly matched about half way around the board, but then I managed an excellent hand and crib and shot ahead. The mood at the table dropped a little with this change in the game.
We had only a couple of hands left in the last leg of the game. My friend was so close to finishing and taking the game, but when she counted she missed a few points. I could not overlook it, so I claimed the points for myself.
She responded to her loss of points by saying, I didn’t see those points, my thoughts were on the queen I threw in the crib. Those points would have, and should have, given her the game and tied our match. What happened that caused her to overlook something so obvious?
I smiled, and said, “Thank you, that goes right along with my book”. Then I rested my hand on the draft copy that was resting on the table, ready for her to read the next day. I see you’re already getting ready to read it, I shared with a smile.
We are the editors of our world. We see what is most important for us to see, and sometimes get stuck looking in one direction while missing great things that are right under our nose. What exactly is important may be dictated by our ego, our need to win, or it might be swayed by our sense of what we deserve.
Sometimes, though, we step out of the way, and let a softer yet powerful image carry through, and we see with eyes wide open. There are opportunities galore in our lives, when we can see them, and many opportunities to move ahead, whether in a game or in life.
When you look into your world what do you see? Do you feel a sense of contentment that everything is the way it is meant to be, or do you have a feeling that something is off kilter? Either way, we can always open our eyes to new thoughts and ideas, and expand our conscious way of living. Now is the time to believe in a better world.
Tags: Alcohol, blind, family, focus, miracle, perception, personal growth, religion, self awareness, self help, spirit, spirituality, vision