The eye of the beholder
/How many circles do you see in the photo?
At first glance, it might appear as if there are no circles,
prompting some colleagues to think it’s a trick question.
Look again. There are at least sixteen circles.
Anyone see more than sixteen?
It is not a trick, but sometimes what is obvious to some is
hidden from others. But, if we keep trying, we can see more than what is
perhaps right in front of us.
When I was a kid, we made a banner for school that said, “Bloom
where you are planted.” When I went to college, my mom gave me that same saying
on a small cross-stitch canvas she made. Today, the same gift hangs in my
kitchen as a reminder to look for more than the obvious. It also reminds me of
the importance of blooming no matter what the circumstances.
When you choose to
look at things in more than one way, instead of just the first way, you will
see more. The perspective makes better decisions, attitudes, and behaviors
possible.Here’s another example of perspective: While every media outlet described self-proclaimed bachelor George Clooney’s wedding to an attorney over the weekend, the headline of a woman’s professional site reads, “Internationally acclaimed barrister Amal Alamuddin marries an actor.”
Life is all in the eye of the beholder.