Out of focus!

All the three photographs above are out of focus- Only one fruit is sharp in the first photo; both fruits in the second photo look slightly blurred and the single fruit in the third photo is slightly blurred. 

All the three phots were taken at the same time with autofocus of a full frame mirrorless camera with the prescribed distance of the object form the camera. Eveythighn was optimum except that the camera has hand held instead of being in a tripod. 

Yesterday, I listened to a mother who described in enormous detail what she woeful want her seven year daughter ought to be doing at home and class room. Her daughter has scattered exceptional abilities and some limitations in social and communication skills. The focus was on her limitations and the mother kept referring her attention to her daughter's limitations and needs. When I turned her attention to all the prospects about enhancing her daughter's existing abilities, the mother kept returning to her limitations. 

This surprised me because, some limitations are realities that need to be accommodated and by-pass strategies found to make use of all the residual abilities. 

This brought to my consciousness my own perceptions. It is likely that our past experiences influence our perceptions. So we see some things clearly and some other life events and of others in a blurred way.

Our inner orientation is a mixture of clarity and blurred perception. 

This is a real struggle that we need to come to terms with.   

Even the best of our efforts might not help us to see everything sharply and clearly. We need others to help us perceive better. 

I wish we are more interdependent in our journey of life!

In the book, The Creativity of Listening, Bill Kirkpatrick made a convincing plea to make listening as a way of life and living and highlighted  the 'sacred act of hearing through listening'!

I sometimes feel compelled to bring issues into focus while listening to others. I feel now that, gentle listening can become a better way of helping others to bring back some issues to clarity in their consciousness! My exhortation prevents self discovery!