In the Eye of the Beholder

In The Eye of The Beholder

Most people know when they like something but they often can’t explain why. This applies to stuff they wear, cars they drive and food they eat. But do we really have to like all the things we have? Does it matter what others think? Is beauty really in the eye of the beholder?

I know a lot of people who design, create or write stuff and it’s interesting to watch how the things they create go from thought to finish. It starts with what they like and what they perceive others may like and then goes through an iterative process of refinement and finally there’s some type of trial and error to determine the final product. Colors, textures, tastes and function must get blended in just the right amounts if the result is to be accepted and successful.  

But what happens to all the things that don’t make it through this process – is there some bone yard that contains all the ones that someone decides we won’t like? I mean, just because someone doesn’t think the rest of us will like something doesn’t mean that those won’t be seen as beautiful in the eye of some other beholder. And if those people who make those decisions think that, do you think they can they explain why? Sure we all have our own tastes – likes and dislikes based on however many years we’ve had in trying and using things - but in reality most things are good enough for most people. And therein lies the rub – good may no longer be good enough.

We have so many options and new things are getting designed and introduced all the time.  We get used to one thing and another comes along that we just can’t live without.  Marketing on TV, in magazines, on the Internet and via Twitter and Facebook all inundate us with what somebody thinks we should really want and need.  So, in those, is beauty really in the eye of the beholder?

Or maybe I am just confused – the beauty that lies in the eye of the beholder probably has nothing to do with material things. That kind of beauty doesn’t taste or spin or lie flat; that kind of beauty is found in friendships, beautiful sunsets, majestic mountains, masterpiece paintings and simple functionality. That kind of beauty is owned and nurtured by the inner beings in all of us. That kind of beauty is in everyone’s eyes.  And that kind of beauty attracts the beholder in all of us.  Take time today to know what’s real and what you really like and know why.  Then enjoy those things with all your heart and soul.

My message this week is about taking responsibility and ownership for the things that are important to you.

“The thing the sixties did was to show us the possibilities and the responsibility that we all had. It wasn't the answer. It just gave us a glimpse of the possibility.” 

-John Lennon

John Lennon was one of the Beatles.  Enough said.

The sixties were a time of hope and transformation. Hope for a better world. Hope for a better outcome. Hope to be able to do things better. And hope that nothing would stop us from achieving our goals. And transformation from the way things always were to the possibility of how things could be. Transformation from fear and despair to the possibility of a better future. Transformation from a time when the future was suspect to the possibility that anything might be possible if we believed in it enough.  

We learned that all of these possibilities were linked to hard work and responsibility. We not only hoped for the best but also learned what it took to make those changes happen.  We yearned for this transformation and didn’t rest until it happened. We believed the world was ours – and we took that belief seriously. You should realize how important it is to glimpse the possibilities that exist today and take responsibility to make them a reality tomorrow. That was the answer then and it’s still the answer today!

Stay well!