The Eye of the Beholder
It’s been said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For me, this would mean that no two people will see the same thing the same way. If we were to take it one step further, then no two people will experience the same thing the same way. When I think of the past few years, no truer words have been spoken.
If each of us is experiencing life differently, then how does this affect the way we interact with others? Are we judging each other on these differences, or do we have an understanding of why others view the world as they do?
The way we see the world will be influenced by how we were raised, the beliefs we have formed throughout our lives, and the way we were taught by those around us. With all these variables it’s no wonder we all see beauty differently. Yet, if we focus on these differences, we separate ourselves from the commonalities we all have.
It’s easy to create walls separating us because of our differences, but what is the purpose of these walls? Behind the walls we build, we block our ability to become more understanding and compassionate towards those who see the world from their point of view. Rather than see our differences as a way to separate us, is it possible our differences can unite us?
How often do we judge others because they see the world differently than we do? Yet our judgement is based on our life experiences and not a full understanding of theirs. The thing about judgement, is it disconnects us from the world around us.
As I look back over my past, I must accept that I was doing the best I could, given what I knew at the time. This releases me from the negativity that arises when self-judgement becomes the prevalent emotion when life becomes a challenge.
The question then becomes, can we release our judgement of others, and our self-judgement knowing that we are all doing the best we can with the knowledge we have? That can be a challenging thought because we have a natural tendency to judge others without much thought, then seek the reasons for our differences later. But how does this serve the greater good?
I remember the first time I saw a painting by the artist Pablo Picasso, the cubist forms of a woman were new and unfamiliar to me. Even though I had never seen anything like it before, I had to appreciate how Picasso saw the world. Once I began to understand his art, I released any judgement I had formed when I first viewed his work. When I released my judgement, I was able to see the beauty in his art.
Imagine each of us as a beautiful piece of art, some see us clearly, while others will need time to understand why we are the way we are. This requires patience and understanding, but what is the alternative?
As we look to the future, we often make commitments to eat healthier food and exercise more, these benefit our physical body. Yet how often do we commit to being more understanding and kind, even toward those who live differently than we do.
Each new day allows us the opportunity to look over our past, and learn some important lessons we can take with us into the future. These lessons may teach us to be more compassionate, kind, or understanding toward ourselves as well as those who see the world another way.
This does not mean we will not face challenges. This means that once we have an understanding of what makes others different, we can then search for our commonalities. In doing so we may see we have similar desires that have been overlooked because our judgement blinds us from seeing our commonalities.
As I look to the future, I’m going to focus on being more kind and compassionate with those who see life in their own way. If I release my judgement of them, I may begin to see their beauty in a different way. The best I can do is to look for the commonalities I have with others, as I do, they may begin to see the commonalities they have with me. Isn’t this how we want to experience life, as beautiful beings living for the common good?
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Can we live in a way that benefits the common good, thereby seeing the beauty in all of us?
Let me know what you think, I’m always open to exploring the subject further. Leave a question or comment below, or email me at paulhudonauthor@gmail.com. I’d enjoy hearing from you.
It is with great excitement I announce that my book, “A Complete Life, Discovering Your Authentic Self,” has been published and is now available for sale as an eBook, or paperback. Click on the link to read the first chapter, or purchase a copy. If you would like a signed copy please reach out, and I’ll get one to you.
To buy a copy of my book, “Your Inner Guidance, The Path to Discovering Your True Happiness,” and you live in my area, you can buy it at Salida Books in Salida, or The Book Nook in Buena Vista. Or reach out to me, and I’ll sign a copy for you.
Or, you can also buy it through Amazon, as an eBook or paperback, by clicking on the link. Please feel free to leave a review.
I am grateful for all the support and encouragement I have received along the publishing journey.
Each week I email an article to those who have subscribed to my weekly. This week I wrote about showing up. Here is an excerpt.
One of the challenges we face throughout life is trying to be true to ourselves. When we look out at the world we see signs that constantly tell us we should be different than we are. Messages telling us we should be taller, slimmer, eat this, not that, read this, not that, even drive a certain type of car or truck, just to fit in.
If you would like to receive my weekly article, scroll to the very bottom of the page where you will find a place to subscribe. In doing so you will receive a free article titled, “The Journey”. Or email me at paulhudonauthor@gmail.com, and I’ll add your name to the list.
I’m fortunate to write a monthly column for Conscious Shift Magazine. This month you can find my article, “Planting Seeds”. Click the link to read more.
https://consciousshiftcommunity.com/planting-seeds/
Check out Conscious Shift Magazine as a great resource for guidance and inspiration.
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Thank you for reading this article, and being a part of this wonderful adventure called life. I appreciate your support.
Peace and Well-Being, Paul
Copyright Paul Hudon 2022
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