I come into focus one pixel at a time.
One of the first things I do each morning is reach for my glasses. The brightness of the light hits me in the face, and I open each eye separately. Objects come into focus one at a time. Slowly, the familiar distinguishes itself from the comforting gloom. Patterns begin to emerge.
I have been taught to approach life in general the same way I approach each new day. I break things down, analyzing and thinking about one thing at a time. I focus my concentration on each bit of information. I get to the point where I understand, then I add the next bit.
Is life a puzzle we solve one piece at a time? Is the big picture only helpful in seeing where each piece fits?
The benefit, and the cost, of strong focus is that it differentiates each individual piece. Focus gives us the perception of understanding and control. We give ourselves opportunities to spend time and attention becoming comfortable with each tiny bit. Our eyes, and our minds, become accustomed to each new day, and we see familiar patterns.
I take comfort when things come into focus, and enjoy the stimulation of paying attention. I like the sense that I am beginning to master a subject. I cannot help but wonder, at times, about the differences between being familiar with information and really knowing anything about it.
Even as my eyes adjust each morning and I see my everyday world, I begin to question just how much of it I really understand.
It may be that understanding does not come from analysis, that probing one pixel cannot give us the big picture.
How are you bringing things into focus?
Where does the familiar begin to emerge today?
[Image by Jared Tarbell]
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In