Isn’t our perception of reality funny?
Funny in the sense that while we all believe truth exists, the actual colour, shape, and form it holds, is often filtered through our own, limited, best guess scenario, set of assumptions. We hinder and distort reality by the very fact that we don’t know everything. We can’t know everything.
This is magical in a sense, because in a world of science, there are no surprises.
We distort our reality by being human. Gloriously human. We fail to see right because we are limited by the very square space from which we gaze upon the truth. That little piece of the whole, which we call our experience, which always distorts what we see, creates what we want to see, yet it is the only way we can derive any of our understanding in the first place.
And its magical.
I understand that our distorted understanding of the truth is very vexing for everyone. We are all shuffling our feet in total darkness, holding on to a different piece of the elephant, arguing with each other who is right.
Our limited version of the truth, which in our defence is all we were given, can create some unpleasant confusion, and lead to serious frustration.
When we share what we think we see with others, we are putting ourselves on a collision course to be seriously misunderstood.
Reinterpreted.
We are putting ourselves on a path to clash with other people’s versions of reality, and their own prickly little insensibilities.
This is why it is socially forbidden to talk about politics or religion at parties, with people of good social standing.
This is silly I think, because they are the most important of all the subjects, which is probably why people are willing to die for their truth, something which they are not willing to do for a nice piece of cherry pie. Not unless it is a really, really good piece of pie.
Religion tries to deal with why we are here, and what the ultimate purpose of our existence might be, while politics, on the other hand, deals with how we are to justly govern ourselves, what we have to do to live meaningful lives, and how to better care for the vulnerable.
Or so they should anyhow.
A bit philosophical perhaps, but our perception of how we see what is real is funny nonetheless.
Let’s turn to you.
What about your reality?
What about the truth of how you see yourself and where you are going?
Do you have the courage at any time in the day to look yourself in the mirror? To have a good look. Do you have the valour to gaze into your own eyes? Your windows to your very soul?
What will you find there?
Pain? Regret? Sorrow?
Words of hate and admonition for yourself? Voices from the past hurling hateful epitaphs in your direction?
Or will you find joy?
Peace? Forgiveness? Unused blueprints of some abandoned dreams?
Perhaps some faith and hope? Some love?
Words of encouragement and understanding? Voices from the future calling you towards something greater than yourself?
If truth and reality is not as reliable as we were taught to think it is, when we were children, wouldn’t it make more sense to shape it, the way we want reality to appear?
If other people will not understand or will misinterpret your, is that a good reason to capitulate or abandon your dreams, or give up trying?
I mean, if you are too blind and unsatisfied with the piece of the elephant you are currently holding, wouldn’t it make more sense, instead of arguing or getting angry about it, to simply suck it up and stumble in the darkness, to look for another piece to hold.
A piece that perhaps feels a little better? Suits your life a little more?
Reality is very cold, calculating, and most scientific.
But we as artists are born to wrap it up, in our own warm blanket of technicolour.
To shape things how we want them to be. To shape our own destiny.
Reality really doesn’t matter much. People will see what they want to see. Truth will not be offended by the choices you make, one way or another.
In the future, you will change your mind how things were a thousand times. You will reshape and thinking of what you remember a million ways.
You are bound to forget.
So, forget who you think you are today. Erase what other people think you are.
Don’t be afraid to stumble in the dark.
Keep circling that elephant and stop arguing who is right.
