Blog Entry #9: A Single-Edged Sword

I have always been hyper-keen about my surroundings, thinking about what I see and why it was made. This has sometimes felt like a curse, but I have realized what a blessing it is over the years. We as a society are being waterboarded with every form of media at all hours of the day, and it can be hard to go through our days with all the noise. 

Since the idea of media has been a common topic in my English 102 class for the last couple of weeks, a new version of observation has developed. For the last few years, I have taken the time to narrow the number of things I evaluate so that my thoughts and time are more focused and productive. I've been introducing levels of this hyperevaluation when I see fit. Instead of thinking, "Why am I hearing this?" or "Why are they saying these things?" I think, "Whatever these people are trying to convey, I can get something positive from it, so I should see this through because who knows what gems I could stumble across." 

I've been leaning into the idea that there is no bad information, just a bad perspective. There is so much nuance in everything we think, see, hear, and do that it can become easy to just go with the flow of whatever river we happen across without question. Just because you question something does not mean it comes from a place of negativity or positivity. Giving yourself the opportunity to have your opinions challenged is a valuable and seemingly rare skill to have these days. 

I love stopping what I'm doing and giving whatever media I observe my undivided attention. The idea that somebody took the time to alchemize this thing from nothingness, and it's now in front of me to enjoy, is incredible, regardless of how it makes me feel. If it makes me feel anything, I know it served its purpose. When I began implementing this into my daily life, my time became much more valuable, not because I want to be more critical of where I put my time, though I am heavily cognisant of this too, but because I know that as long as I am present in each moment, there is potentially something deeply valuable and profound around any corner. 

Choosing to go through life with our eyes opened wide, and our gaze directly ahead can gift us with infinite lessons and stories that we would be left without otherwise. Because of this, I now only see my mind's process as a blessing. It is not a double-edged sword but a single-edged sword that requires tactile precision and focus to maximise my efficiency and potential to the fullest.