You've heard
it before: "Perception is reality." "What you
see is what you get." "Seeing is believing."
How we look at
things determines how we experience them. For example, if I told
you that the sun rises in the Pacific and sets in the Atlantic,
you'd probably say that I was at best misinformed. But to people
who live in certain parts of Panama, it can be a reality. Look
at a map.
If I get up in
the morning and it's raining, I have a choice. I can say, "Damn,
it's going to ruin the wash job on my car." Or, I can say,
"Perfect...now I don't have to water the lawn!" Either
point of view is my option.
Nobody but me
is upstairs in my mind pushing attitude buttons. And the same
thing applies to all the people with whom we interact during
the day. Their perceptions may not match ours, which is why they
may act differently than we think they should.
And we may not
match their expectations, either. When that happens, both of
us have a decision to make -- to resent, argue, deny, or accept.
Which is easiest? Call me lazy, but I'd rather accept things
as they are.
I don't have
to like it, but I have to accept reality if I ever want to change
it.