Stephen Covey (author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) is famous for saying that everyone looks at and interprets life through their own lens, and that it is crucial that we "
look at the lens through which we see the world, as well as the world we see, [because] that lens itself shapes how we interpret the world." Oftentimes the things we perceive and even fear are illusions or distortions of reality. To illustrate let me tell you about my favorite stage illusion—sometimes used in theatre, theme parks,
rock concerts, magic shows, museum exhibits, etc. It is a simple technique,
first documented in the 16th century and commonly referred to as
"Pepper's Ghost". The name "Pepper's Ghost" may not mean anything to you, but if you've ever been to Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, etc. you've probably experienced it. In fact you have experienced a basic version of it when you look out a window at night and notice your own reflection floating ghost-like on the other side of the glass.
The illusion is done with a large piece of glass that you don't realize you are looking through and strategically placed lighting to make something or someone appear in the scene that isn't actually there. In its earliest days it frightened audiences by producing ghosts on stage and today it is still able to baffle skeptical modern viewers with its digital projections reflecting onto a semi transparent foil instead of glass—bringing to the stage dead performers, animated characters, and other digital imagery all seemingly alongside live performers. This bewildering illusion is sometimes thought to be one of the origins of the term "smoke and mirrors" even though it technically requires neither. If you've ever been to Disneyland's Haunted Mansion you have seen one of the most famous uses of this effect (and the biggest) in the ballroom where the translucent ghosts are waltzing and celebrating the way that only Disneyland ghosts can do.
So going back to our Stephen Covey quote we can see how important it is to recognize if we are looking at life through a lens that is distorted, cloudy, or reflecting half truths. This can happen when we base our opinions and beliefs on gossip or hearsay. A friend of mine and I were almost turned against each other by a third
person who liked to twist the truth and pit us against each other. Once
we realized the source of our problems we vowed to always go immediately and directly to
each other any time we heard anything that seemed out of the ordinary. How many love stories and movies are based on someone misinterpreting the truth or being lied to by a third party (The love story industry would probably go out of business if everyone recognized and corrected this common human weakness). All sorts of problems can arise and life can be difficult to navigate when we don't put forth the effort to find out the truth directly from the source. As the bible says, "
For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully" (1 Corinthians 13:12)
