Your Perception is Not Reality

Your Perception is Not Reality.

per·cep·tion

/pərˈsepSH(ə)n/

noun

1. a way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting something; a mental impression.

The above photos were taken seconds apart on a morning walk. One photo, hazy and distorted, the other photo, which was actually what I was seeing, was crisp and clear. Two photos, seconds apart, two different realities.

We don't see things as they are. We see things as we are.

What if I told you that I find reality a fascinating concept? What if I told you that one person's reality vastly differs from another's based on various factors we are subjected to throughout our lives? How would that change your perception of the world?

In other words, seeing is not believing. Believing is seeing.

What if I told you that our realities are formed by the lenses through which we see the world? These lenses, when worn for a lifetime, can become coated in dirt, otherwise known as upbringing, conditioning by family and our environment/social conditioning (who we choose to share our time with, as you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with), our experiences and traumas and what or how they left us feeling, OR what we tried so hard to numb we wouldn't feel it. We are the product of our choices and coping mechanisms directly resulting from the abovementioned items.

What if I told you that we see things as we are, not as they are, leaving us with nothing more than our perception of reality, which may be extremely distorted?

What if I told you it's always possible to clean your lenses? Because perception is not reality.