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Jim navigates through life wearing green-lens sunglasses, Jane with red-lens sunglasses. At the end of each day, Jim tells his friends how “green” the world is. Jane does the same for her friends, describing in great detail how “red” the world is. Assuming they don’t realize their respective colored sunglasses are worn, which one of them is correct in their perspective of the world?
We all view life through a unique lens or “window” as I like to refer to it. This window may be distorted any number of ways based on previous life experiences. With no two windows being identical, looking through them provides us with our perspective of the world. Our perception of any given object or situation we are confronted with becomes our reality. Perception is reality.
Once we are able to accept the notion that two individuals can be looking at the same object and see it two very unique ways, we begin to understand the complexity of human interaction. With each unique individual comes a unique reality. Something you view as irrelevant or meaningless can have a world of meaning to someone else. Learn to love and accept all beings no matter how different their perspective may be from yours. Remember, it is their reality. Be mindful of your words and actions for you never know what state of mind or reality another individual is experiencing.
Along with understanding the complexity of different realities, it is crucial to embrace the fact that everyone is fighting their own battle. Everyone has a story. Everyone has dealt with pain, happiness and love on very different levels. It is these experiences that have shaped our individual windows
We have all been in a situation where we have hurt someone’s feelings. Whether you intended the words or action to be hurtful or not is irrelevant. If the individual on the receiving end explains that it made them feel a certain way (sad, angry, etc), you owe them an apology; feelings cannot be argued. In these circumstances, be aware that the feelings are very real in the other’s reality.
So is Jim or Jane right? Is the world green or red? The answer is both. In Jim’s reality, the world is green. For Jane, the world is red. Neither one is “wrong” unless they are judging the other for seeing the world a different way. Awareness. Be aware of others’ windows. Be aware that there are countless perspectives of one object or situation. Open your mind to these perspectives, open your heart to others’ realities and be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
-Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow-
Mike Sherbakov, CSCS, CPT
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