Myopothy (Forest for the Trees Syndrome)

It's amazing how profound one can become in the wee hours of the morning.  But then when dawn breaks those thoughts seem much less meaningful when there are deadlines to meet and coffee to be made.

It was dark in the living room and the only light was my desk lamp in the next room.  I was reaching for something on the end table and as I was looking at it I realized I couldn't see it any more.  I know where it was; I caught a glimpse of it as I came around the corner.  But when it was right in front of me it was blacked out.  Hmmm, a mysterious disappearing object.  Maybe it's the next SlapChop! 

As I looked away just a few inches, the object came into view again.  I could see it if I wasn't looking at it.  That's because of the way the human eye is built.  We have the amazing ability to see in daylight and at night.  Most animals do not have this luxury.  We can see in sunlight and dim light because the cones (color receptors) in our eyes are the most dense in the middle of our field of vision while black and white (night vision) is enabled by rods that are located more in other parts of the eye.  So at night, we have a small black spot in the center of our vision that we hardly ever notice until we are focused on a singular object.  That's because the cones can't "see" it.  When we look away slightly, we pick it up in our peripheral vision thanks to rods.  Ingenious.

Enough of the biology lesson.  I think our individual lives are often much the same way.  When we are focused on a task, we are said to "have blinders on."  When we are so emotionally involved in a situation we don't make rational decisions, we "can't see the forest for the trees."  When we are self absorbed and don't pay much attention to the needs of others, we "can't see past the end of our noses."  This list goes on.

We get so caught up in what we are doing at the moment we lose the big picture sometimes.  I am forced to have personal pow-wows with myself when my myopothy keeps me from seeing what's going on around me.  Likewise, I have to reprioritize when my current perspective leaves me a little blind.  Sometimes it's good to ask yourself, "how is what I am doing affecting others?"  How does my current situation fit into the rest of life and the lives of those around me?  Are there adverse consequences to others from my decisions?  Is this a task that can be put off until after I have dinner with the family?  Will I miss playing with my son in the living room floor if I stay later? 

I was looking for that "object" in the dimly lit room but it didn't come into view until I looked away just a little.  That's when it came into focus along with everything else around it.  That's when I saw where it belongs, and most importantly:  how to reach it.