You’ve heard the phrase “Seeing is believing.” Well, that’s not necessarily how I live my life. And frankly, I don’t really want to live my life that way.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t discredit it. “Seeing is believing” plays an important role. For example, to truly give someone your trust, they need to earn it. Therefore, seeing them being trustworthy will create a strong foundation for believing they are trustworthy.
Yes, there are areas in our lives that require us to see before we believe.
What I’m referring to is more so about the confidence to not hold back.
My perception of “seeing is believing” limits the wonder of the “what if.”
“Seeing is believing” means I limit my confidence in the impossible, the unfathomable, the unattainable. I limit my worldview to only what is guaranteed. No risk whatsoever??? No way. Can’t. Won’t. Don’t want to.
That would be like sucking every ounce of my passion out of my body!
“Believing is seeing.” Now that’s a sentence I can buy into!
It’s one thing to believe because the proof and facts are presented to you. Sure, anyone can do that! That’s easy.
Show me a meat lovers pizza and, trust me; I’ll believe it’s delicious! Show me a song that’s been already composed by a brilliant musician; yes indeed I’ll believe it’s beautiful music.Show me a winning game plan for an innovative idea; I’ll believe it will succeed.Show me how to improve my golf swing with guaranteed results; yes, I’ll believe you and do what you say.
But to believe in something which requests you to imagine, to visualize, to ignite curiosity, to ponder, to wonder, to stimulate opportunity, to provoke longing, to welcome the “what if” – this excites me! This tells me to broaden my perspective; to listen carefully; to observe intently and to think outside my existing perceptions.
To believe, that I may see, welcomes vision. To believe, that I may see, invites possibility, hope and forward motion. Fantastic!
How does this apply to you? “Karen, it all sounds so nebulous and philosophical. Where’s the meat of it, KT!”
Ok, invisible Cyber Voice – here’s the crux…
I’ll believe it when I see it! – I’ve said that phrase. Many times. But…I don’t like me when I talk that way. I sound like a skeptic. I sound defensive, reactive, guarded and cynical. Feels like I just nailed up a fence; established boundaries; set up stipulations. Why? Why say it in the first place? Why not engage and explore the conversation? Why so quick to dismiss the notion? What happened for me to react that way? What went wrong for me to now hold this presupposition?
I see it because I believe it! Zowie! Just writing that phrase stirs me up! The confidence! The relentless commitment to not wilt when challenged! To get back up and keep running when you trip over the hurdles! To not buckle when odds are against you! To not quit when the feat seems too great to overcome!
I see it because I believe it! I sound like I’m healthy and don’t carry old baggage around. Life gives us hard knocks, sure. But I don’t want those hard knocks to define me. They are part of my story, sure. But every hard moment ends up being a true gift. It either grows your character or jades your soul.
I’d rather look a fool for seeing because I believe, than to limit my world to believing only if I see.
-Karen Thrall
GOOD FOR THE SOUL 