On the art of seeing

I'm going to ramble a bit.

I've been thinking a lot about perspective this week. One of the most interesting things about life, a thing to tease out in any narrative fiction, is how varied perspective can be. Take a simple issue, look at it through different eyes, look at it when you're older, look at it from the perspective of the very rich or the very poor, look at it as though it will immediately impact your life, and then look at it from a safe distance. Perspective does not change a thing, but it redefines the thing.

I've been thinking about that a lot for a few reasons. 1. A person I feel a certain way about seems to have left a completely opposite impression on another, and in a conversation that even mentions said person, there is an obvious clashing of perspective. 2. A person I know is offended that comedy would even broach catastrophe, whereas an effort of comedy to heal those victims of catastrophe is offering help in the form of humor. 3. A food tastes so incredibly satisfying, and when I was younger it would have made my stomach turn.

It seems like such a simplistic issue, but I think finding art in all this, in life and everything it has to offer, means an ability to question perspective. That's really all I have on a personal note this week. And I need to find a way to incorporate some strong examples in my lecture on perspective for my summer class.

In writing news, I have a new story out about a woman, a sort of busybody whose aim is to make anyone she comes into contact with smile. People seem to like this one. Here's a link: The Suit

And with that, I'm currently trying to decide whether I should go see Mud or Gatsby before I finish my grading today. Last week of class! If I'm incredibly blown away or repelled by my movie choice, I might post tomorrow.

Otherwise, Happy Mother's Day and a happy week!