Perception Rules

Perception Rules: Choose the ones you want to live with.

One morning, on my walk, I saw a woman walking a dog.

Clueless about dog breeds, I just knew it was big and brown. The next time I passed her, coming the other way, she was still walking a dog.

This time, it was big and tan.

Geez, I thought. I swear that dog was brown. To make sense of it, I reasoned maybe it was the light. Perhaps I didn’t see what I thought I saw the first time.

Another day, on a walk, in the early morning light, I saw something black and shiny by the side of the road. It had big red lips. Startled, I moved to the other side of the road, not knowing what I was looking at, but it scared me.

Once, gazing out the window, I saw a panda bear. In our backyard? In Ohio?

What do these three things have in common?

Perception.

I saw what I expected to see, was afraid to see, or was curious to see.

Of course, it wasn’t the same dog. It occurred to me that she had dropped off one dog and picked up another, which is exactly what she had done.

The scary black object with big red lips? A black garbage bag with red ties pulling it together.

And the panda? As much as I wanted it to be a panda, it was a mylar balloon.

All three made me laugh at myself. Although recognizing what they were brought me clarity, it didn’t change my world, and they weren’t dangerous.

But our perceptions make up our world and can be dangerous if we aren’t aware of them.

• What do you expect to see?
• What are you afraid to see?
• What are you curious to see?
• What don’t you think you can see?
• What don’t you think is possible?
• What do other people expect of you?
• What do you expect of yourself?

These are all perception filters. They determine what we experience.

Most of the time, it’s easier to go through life without examining why we believe something, what is affecting our beliefs, or what we have accepted about ourselves and the world.

But all of us would be better off if we took the time to consider why we accept something as true, and then decide for ourselves if it is what we want the world to be like.

Because perceptions rule.

They are not Reality. But they do create our reality.

So, if we believe in something that divides, hates, puts down others, and separates people, then that is the world we will live in.

It’s an individual choice, and yet it affects us all.

Reality, what I call big r Reality, is constantly providing, does not divide, and unites all ideas as one.

The Bible says: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Seriously. Why can’t we do that?

Even in our beliefs that we are human, can’t we pull that off? Isn’t this the reality we want to be living in?

Can’t we choose equality for every single being on earth? Can’t we stop believing and listening to rants and raves from those who are only out for more for themselves?

Can’t we choose what’s beautiful, pure, and true?

I believe we can. I believe that there is a too-silent majority—the light bearers. But we must intentionally shift to a perception that works for everything.

Let’s turn towards the most beautiful big r Reality that we can imagine.

Let’s expect that.

And let’s ask ourselves at least once a day, “Is what I am believing, talking about, and accepting true, beautiful, good, and pure?”

If not, then we need to shift our perception.

It’s as simple as my recognizing that there were two dogs, that it was a trash bag, and that the panda was a balloon.

Everything came into focus at that moment.

Everything will come into focus each moment when we choose to act based on the possibility that the Infinite is ever present and that we, in Truth, are One.