You know, there’s always this debate about whether you should be looking at the trees or the forest. Seeing the big picture or the fine details. But what about the reflections?
This is part of the view from my office window. I glance out the window regularly throughout the day – it’s my escape from the stress of corporate chaos. My peek into the “real” world while I dream about what it would be like to be in that world instead of this one. Between the 3 floors in this building there are probably about 50 others with a similar view from their office window. I wonder what they see when they look out – the trees? The golf course? The pond that desperately needs more rain water?
I often notice the reflections in the water. I notice things like this everywhere too, not just out my window. There’s one executive that drives a black car, and when I walk by his car in the parking lot I can’t help but notice how the white lettering of the word “Reserved” is reflected from his parking spot onto his shiny black bumper. I often wonder if other people see things like this too, or if it’s just my crazy view on life (literally) that has me looking at the less-than-obvious details. It’s almost like seeing the metadata associated with the source, when I suspect most people only see the source.
What about music. Do you only hear the chorus and primary melodies? Next time you’re listening to music, I challenge you to seek out the little background sounds that aren’t as easy to hear. Listen for the singer’s breath, or for little clicks or clanks in the instruments. You might be surprised at how much more there is to the music when you hear the more subtle sounds.
So is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Sometimes we can overlook the obvious when distracted by the details, which can potentially be a bad thing. And sometimes we can over-think things, which can be counter-productive. But for the most part I believe the ability to appreciate the existence of peripheral information – particularly when it comes to the five senses – gives a more interesting perspective on life and an appreciation for beauty we might not otherwise see.
And why should we care?
Because life is short.
Live it up.