Being Seen, Being Understood

Many of us more sensitive types feel that being seen is the same as being judged, or criticized. Who wants that? Though we do want to be noticed and accepted in all our flawed wonderfulness, “I see you!” doesn’t always feel appreciative. In fact, it can feel intrusive.

Seeing is more than perceiving. It’s also the taking in of that visual information, to make conclusions about it, to know and understand. When someone explains something to you, telling him “I see!” means you follow his thought process.

When I started exploring vision improvement for myself 20 years ago, and since I’ve always been interested in words, the connection between seeing and understanding immediately struck me. I prided myself on being a good student back then, and hated to admit how poor my vision was behind my -10 glasses. Was it possible, since I couldn’t see very well, I wasn’t truly understanding my surroundings accurately either?

Since I’ve improved my vision so much, the 2 biggest related changes in me are being less anxious and fearful (or more grounded and centered), and being friendlier, that is, more easily reaching out to connect with others. It seems the place where I was seeing incorrectly, in the understanding sense, was in seeing other people, and especially their reactions to me.

Everyone wants to be liked and accepted. I’ve wondered if those with glasses feel this need more deeply, or possibly are more hurt by what seems like disapproval or criticism. And I’ve further wondered whether our glasses become a sort of protection, a shield or barrier to mute or “blur” (!) others’ invasive looking into our tender feelings.

If seeing is an energy exchange, so what I am seeing is seeing me right back, it can feel scary if I don’t feel safe. I may not even want to open my eyes! As my vision has improved, it’s been equally difficult to let myself see farther than I formerly did, and to let other people see me, and especially for them to see my feelings.

Though I’ll probably always prefer to spend a lot of time alone, I can relax around others more than I ever did, really letting them see me. There will be many (if not most) people who continue to think I’m strange, which is fine because I have a few close friends whom I cherish. It is so nourishing to be deeply heard and seen and understood! “Oh, you shouldn’t feel that way!” can shut down the conversation and the energy exchange immediately.

So as the old year comes to a close and a new one is about to start, my intention is to see more (and more clearly), and to let myself be seen more too. Are there things you aren’t looking at, so aren’t seeing well, if at all? Are there ways you’re holding yourself back from being seen, when many people could benefit from what you know or have to share? Let’s all try to be more of our full radiant selves going forward. The world needs us!