Perspective is an interesting thing. Two sides of a coin are very different from each other. Two sides of an issue or situation are often viewed through two very different sets of eyes, rendering extreme variations in perception.
I had a boss once who was fond of saying, "perception is reality." Her point was that the way someone views something is to them, their reality. But it indeed might not be the reality. Who is to know?
People view circumstances through the filter of their life experiences. Therefore each and every one of us is likely to have anywhere from a "slightly different" point of view to one that is extremely opposite. I am an impulsive person and tend to rush to judgement, not taking time to adjust my filter to see what the other person is seeing. I have had to make a concerted effort throughout my life to alter this behavior. I now try, sometimes unsuccessfully, to see a situation through the eyes of another and not only my own.
That is not to say that I am compelled to change my mind or view after so doing, but at least I am being honest with myself in considering that there just might be another side to the coin and I should turn it over and take a look; I might see something entirely different when do.
After examining the other side of the coin, I may turn it back and decide that I definitely agree more with the first plane I viewed. But at the very least, if I look with an open mind at the other side of an issue and still maintain my initial opinion, I am secure in the knowledge that I have examined the other side and can now emphatically remain true to myself.
The important thing is to remember that we all see things differently and we should at least take a look at the other side before making an argument for our own. You never know ... you may see something that you've never seen before and have a change of heart, if not an understanding at least of where the other person is coming from.
Food for thought . . . . .
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