the other left

I had a thought recent enough that I haven't forgotten it yet. It came to be while I was rummaging around at the wonderful hour of 3 - morning - making a peanut butter sandwich (my usual fine dining at that time when my stomach gets needy). Turns out I am fascinated by the concept of perspective.

Look at an object, like a sandwich. Nothing exciting, but you can look at it from different angles and it changes slightly. Same deal with most things, except maybe a perfect circle? Whatever. Point is you can see it from a different viewpoint and it can be different.

That's not truly amazing in any way, but it is when you apply the same rules to ideas and thoughts - even words! Most of the time we're all too caught up in one perspective to see any other angle and that's why arguments exist. To win an argument you need to convince the opposition that your perspective and views are the winning deal. Sometimes this requires clever manipulation, such as making it seem as if you are agreeing. Beating them down with a single-minded view doesn't work. This is where stubbornness fails.

That's just a small example, perhaps as far as ideas are concerned. You see an idea from your perspective and if needed argue with that stance. Others agree or disagree, sometimes both without knowing. Then there's someone else who throws in a new idea to argue with and it gets a bit messy.

What about thoughts then? Inner thoughts. Those times when you mull over something and sink deeper into a certain pool of thought. The surface goes over your head and lose the ability to see anything outside of it. It's not until you are given - or come up with your own - a new outlook that it seems like the light shining again. That's the best way to describe that feeling of understanding, or seeing something that pulls you out of the pool: Light. Not just any light; this light has an innate ability to dissipate clouds and generate the warm fuzzies.

Naturally this process can work in the other direction, and it can fluctuate both ways. That is what goes on in my head at least. With all these perspectives and viewpoints it's no wonder why words are read differently. Not necessarily single words, but a large group of them in, say, a novel. Meaning is a matter of view and though some may appear upside-down to you, only the author can rightfully declare the true meaning. Though one who does so clearly forgot why he wrote it in the first place, and should wait until asked for profound understanding of his words.

Even so, some things should be left open to perspective, like a humble cube sitting on a table top.

But that's just my point of view.

- G ζ.

With eyes open, nothing to see
Nothing but what's in front of me
A mirror, broken and worn
Fragmented thoughts in reflection
And solving the puzzle I find
The solution, but no answer
An elaborate search for
A duplicate of me