Perspective: Are things what we see them to be?

Perspective. This word has various meanings.  The angle or direction in which a person looks at an object-perspective.  Perspective can also mean the ability to understand what is important and what isn't.  I was watching a movie the other day and it involved a dog being left on the side of the road. The movie perspective was to portray to see the dog was scared, lonely and hurt. Movies have a way of making your mind, heart and eyes see and feel for the character and when something such as being abandoned occurs, you feel pain, sadness, and empathy for the character. I literally shook my head and realized it is a movie, this dog is well cared for by its owners and was employed to portray this part in the movie.  The perspective was to make you feel the emotions of the scene and compassion for the dog as well as the situation at hand.

We can apply this in our everyday life as well.  We may have our own perspective of people, situations and circumstances based on what we are led to believe. In order to truly understand the perspective of others or situations, we must look deep within ourselves and do some honest soul searching. Some develop a perspective of a situation or person truly based on just what they "see or hear".  When someone steps outside of themselves and keeps an open mind to take it all in, one is able to no longer see others perspective but have their eyes opened to a clearer picture.  When one has a true perspective of their world, relationships, etc. and when others are trying to blur that view, the one blurring the view isn't comfortable with you seeing it for what it truly is. Why? Who knows? Maybe because being able to have your own perspective threatens their agenda and makes them uncomfortable with them being seen for what they are and not for what they wanted your perspective of them to be?! It makes them vulnerable and feel loss of control, maybe?!

Relationships have been torn apart, trust broken, feelings hurt, mental/emotional/physical abuse has occurred for hundreds of years based on following other's perspectives.  One's perspective can make one feel the world is against them, that their circumstances are at the fault of others not of their own. Until one wipes out other's perspective and truly looks within as well as within others, the view becomes clearer.

A clear view of your circumstances helps to clear the view ahead as well as understand those rearview mirror images.  It will help with building relationships, trust and bonds with others. Becoming an adult is part of learning to not just look at a picture from one angle or from the lenses of someone else's glasses. Maturing involves seeing those pictures, reading the signals as well as getting behind the camera lens to develop a more educated view.

I have been guilty of having my own perspective blurred by others perception of a person and/or situation. Well, what I thought was my own perspective.  Since thinking on this and how the movie forced a perspective of the scene, I started thinking on my perspective of others and situations.  I hope I am able to get a true perspective of people and situations rather than take others view through the lens.

----"Life is about perspective and how you look at something...ultimately, you have to zoom out."-----Whitney Wolfe Herd-----