“…what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you stand: it also depends a good deal on what sort of person you are.” –C. S. Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew
Your experience of life is directly impacted by your perspective. How you see the world around you will affect your thoughts, decisions, and actions.
But sometimes what you’re seeing is only part of the story.
How often have you learned, after the fact, that the impressions you had of a person or situation were based on a skewed perspective? You thought you knew what was going on, or what their motivations were, but afterward you discovered you didn’t have all the facts.
I know I’ve experienced this. And this realization can serve as a powerful reminder to hold our conclusions about other people and situations loosely. Because there may be more to the story.
…and is shaped by who you are
It’s also valuable to realize that our perspective is additionally being affected by who we are. Our internal state can shape how we view the world around us. And because of this, our perspective on things can tell us a great deal about the kind of person we are, and who we are becoming.
If we’re suspicious of everything and everyone, and always assume the worst, what does that say about us? Or what does it say if we’re hopeful, looking for the good in all situations?
“To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted… nothing is pure.” –St. Paul, Letter to Titus
So, when you look around you, what do you see? Because the answer to that question may tell you as much about yourself as it does the state of the surrounding world.
Who we are will affect what, and how, we see everything around us. And it’s this perspective that will in turn directly impact how we experience life.