A Different Way to See (Part One)
Our family has been having an ongoing conversation these last few months about race and how to love others well. One of the articles the Man shared this week prompted this comment from my dad:
“Along with proactive listening to those who are often overlooked, I want to add my experience trying to teach art, trying to teach really seeing. It is very hard to look at something to draw it. What we think we know about that object gets in the way.”
That last line of his has been hanging out in my head: what we think we know about that object gets in the way.
We’ve all seen this with children when they try to draw pretty much anything initially. Everything is one dimensional and oddly angled. “Tell me about your picture,” we say tactfully, and then are relieved when we can follow up truthfully with “Oh! I can see that!” What they’ve drawn is no where close to reality. It’s only what they think they know about the object. To a certain extent, they see what they expect to see.
And we do the same.
Often, as we listen, as we look, what we expect to see, what we think we already know, gets in the way. And it is hard, so very hard, to set aside those subconscious biases so that we can see what is really there.
It takes practice. A lot of it. And it takes humility. A lot of it. To say again and again, the way I’m looking at something may need to be expanded. My way of seeing things may not be the only one. My perspective on this may be skewed by things that I can’t necessarily control.
This is not to say that there is no absolute truth. This is not to say that there isn’t legitimate right or wrong. This is about acknowledging that we just don’t know everything—and that’s okay.
We have the opportunity to learn more, to understand further, to see outside of a singular line of sight.
We have the opportunity to learn how to really see, if perhaps we can set aside some of our preconceived notions and imagine something more.
But first we have to acknowledge our own blindness and maybe ask for the lights to be turned on.
