What we see is not always what it is, it is only our perception of it. Life is not black or white, it resides in shades of gray.
The ability to see both sides of the coin, to cross the line and look from the opposite side of the road is a gift.
Because seeing is not absolute, your perception may not be my perception. However, your perception is real to you and mine to me. Perceptions are based on what we see, hear, smell and touch. All which create our experiences and our realities.
Nothing is always, A puddle of mud may be something you want to avoid, but to a child or a dog, it is an inviting playground. You may revel in a rainy day while others may find it depressing. What I may think is a wonderful piece of music may be noise to your ears.
We generally find a connection with people when we see things from the same point of view. It is when our perceptions collide, conflicts arise.
The same holds true for our lives.
Our perception of where our life is supposed to be, or what we are supposed to be doing, becomes conflicted when those realities are not as we pictured them.
When we feel we are in the wrong place, sometimes we are in the right place looking at things the wrong way.
All of us have been in a relationship which has ended. Be it, friendship, work-related or matters of the heart, we all have our perception of why it ended. There are at least three perceptions, our, theirs and somewhere in the middle.
To convince others of our point of view is a way to justify our own self-perception. But really none of those perspectives matter, because nothing is black or white.
Walking from a darkened room into the bright sunshine takes a moment for our eyes to adjust. The same holds true when we find ourselves in a new situation. Our perception must readjust.
Suspending our belief that life is black or white, allows us to see the nuances of the grayscale, finding opportunities in the new landscape in front of us. We are in fact, exactly where we are meant to be.
We cannot control all of the twists and turns life creates for us, yet knowing a shift in perception may be what it takes to see what life has provided.
So let us cock our heads, squint our eyes, or simply take a step to the side to see what opportunities are in store for us. With time we will begin to see our lives are in fact, many shades of gray.
“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”
― C.S. Lewis