Our Lens
by: Gary Szenderski
Our Lens
A World in Focus
The lens that we see our world unfold through has a great many settings. From close-up, i.e. being in the weeds, to long shot, the big picture as in “bird’s eye view. Depending on what we want to see, we make the appropriate changes in our personal lens to enhance our perspective on whatever the current subject is. For example, a general will position themselves high above the battlefield so as to see the whole of the engagement, to better direct the troops where they are needed and to also see the enemy’s position and its strategy. The actual battle however can often only be won in the trenches where a high degree of close-in focus is required.
I think these are pretty good metaphors for living life, as life can sometimes be a battle. For many of us we tend to gravitate to one view over the other as our personal default because we find comfort in a particular point of view. We all have experienced encounters with people that prefer to be “in the weeds” where micromanaging and myopia reign and also others that like the view from the clouds where life isn’t quite as messy. And of course, there are many who can slide between the two effortlessly choosing the right frame of reference for the task at hand. It’s all very subjective and is the foundation for what we choose to believe.
I share all of this because I’ve been practicing both ways of thinking to better understand how to craft a new mantra for the next chapter of my life and have been searching for an anthem that can encapsulate my own personal vision. My source for this exercise includes personal observation, reading and my favorite – music. In a Zen-like way which emphasizes enlightenment by means of meditation and direct intuitive insights I’ve gravitated to a brief melodic stanza from my long-time favorite, Dan Fogelberg in a song called Nether Lands. It goes like this:
High on this mountain, the clouds down below, I’m feeling so strong and alive. From this rocky perch, I’ll continue to search for the wind and the snow and the sky. I want a lover, I want some friends, and I want to live in the sun, and I want to do all the things that I never have done.
Find a story, or a song or a person that helps you find and connect to your inner voice, the voice that believes that anything is possible, the voice that believes in you and always has.
The Final Thought: When we believe that something is real, it is. When we believe that something is true, it is. When we believe we can accomplish miracles, we will.