Side view mirror

Have you ever seen the message on a side view mirror of a car that says "Images are closer than they appear"? That interesting area of a car where what you perceive as being there isn't really where you think.  And then those occasional moments where you forget about that message, gain the wrong perception of where the image really is and subsequently almost throw yourself into turmoil.

I feel that the same concept works with life.

I like to think of the human approach to this message as:


"Individuals are different than they appear". 

Think back to the car.  As a driver we have to naturally develop a perception of where we think something is in relation to where it REALLY is.  In the life approach we naturally develop a perception of who we think a person is based on the information we think we already know (based on our own interaction). 

But like that mirror, some people are not what they appear. 

They might be smiling on the outside but crying on the inside.  
They might be a bully to others but are really going through those hurts themselves.
They might carry a perception that everything is perfect, but they are far from it.
They might be gliding like a graceful duck on the surface, but frantically paddling their feet down below.
They might be resentful, but are yet to find peace.
They might be visually stunning, but still find faults.

Time to go back to the mirror again. 

When you get the wrong perception of where the image sits, or you forget the message, then the chance of throwing yourself into turmoil is high. Consider this same thought about other people in your life.  Don't assume individuals are what they appear, but at the same time, don't assume you know how deep their problems are either. Carelessly acting on a misperception of someone can potentially throw yourself into turmoil. Here's some things to consider and practice:

1. Be prepared to forgive people's anger.  It doesn't change the fact that they've done wrong, but it gives you closure.
2. Don't judge a book by it's cover: Beauty is heart and soul deep. However, everyone's perception of beauty differs. 
3. Don't assume that the grass is greener on someone's else's paddock.  Jealousy is toxic.... that person who you think is better, had to work really hard to get to that point..... You just didn't see it.
4. Bullying others is a reflection of you.  Rather than make someone feel bad about their faults, consider your own and repair them.
5. Don't assume that chilled people are always that way.  They had to go through challenges as well.... they just found a way to keep it under control.  Learn a lesson from them and find ways to keep your own life settled and under control.

Enjoy your night! :-)


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