Introduction by Reverend J. Patrick Bowman

All of us look but only some of us see. To see is to know without a doubt that what we are looking at is being seen as it really is without the rose colored glasses we so often wear. Only when we see can we work with what we are looking at. To not see the reality of a person, place, circumstance, or thing leaves us open to misrepresentation, misinterpretation, and misguided actions. We miss the essence and settle for the surface attributes, which may or may not reflect what is happening at the core.

The process of assessing, interpreting, and classifying information is a basic function of the human mind. But how accurately are we assessing, interpreting, and classifying? If we are merely lookers and not seers, the accuracy of our process is questionable. Not all things need to be seen as I’ve described seeing here. The surface attributes we gather by merely looking are sufficient for working with most things. Our energy needs to go into seeing the things that would most impact us if miss-representation, miss-interpretation, and miss-guided actions were to prevail.

Seeing comes by observation. Observation is much deeper than the inhaling of surface attributes we are so used to working with. Observation requires chewing on something for awhile. This requires time, the first of three essential elements of observation. Time represents an intention. One definition of time is, “to arrange or adapt to the moment, schedule, or make a timetable for.” Time is that precious commodity we never have enough of. It is the demon we fight everyday as we work on deadlines, schedules, and just plain living. It is the lemon we try to squeeze the most juice out of so we have an extra little bit of the lemonade we call the calendar. Making time for something means taking time away from something else, a trade-off. We, of course, can not make more time. What we do is reapportion the amount of time we have been given in order to accomplish those items with the most priority for us. The 1440 minutes we are allotted in a 24 hour day cannot be massaged, stretched, or otherwise altered to produce more. The trick is in using what we have in the most productive way.

Once we allot time (intention) for observation, we have to focus our attention. Focus can be described as “an adjustment necessary to obtain clear vision.” Why do we need an adjustment? Because we are so used to looking at the surface of something that anything deeper is blurry. Our depth of field, the area of our vision in focus, has been quite shallow at the surface. This adjustment comes first by slowing down, making time, and then opening up the lens of our mind to a larger aperture, which lets in more information. A photographic image is made with a combination of time, light, and the receptive qualities of the film being used. Altering any one of these elements will cause the essence of the image to change. Focusing also means zeroing in on what we really need to see. This can be likened to the focal length of a camera lens. An ability to zoom in as well as taking in the bigger picture makes a photographer, and a would-be seer, much more versatile.

After we have made our intention by allotting time and focused our attention on what needs to be seen, the third step of refining our sensibilities comes into play. This is a matter of our perception: “being open, the state of being able to perceive.” By being able, we automatically open the door to possibilities we would not have perceived without first allowing time and zeroing in. There are 360° of viewing area around any single point. Our problem is in the fact that it is easier to look at a situation the way we always have. Stepping out of our comfort zone to entertain a different perspective and perhaps a different perception is a much harder, yet necessary step in truly seeing, rather than merely looking. Window shopping is fine, but a serious buyer makes time, focuses her attention, and perceives whether or not the purchase is a wise one. The trinity of intention, attention, and perception bring about seeing the reality of people, places, circumstances, and things as purely as we are humanly possible of doing.

I hope one can see the outcome of this process. The reward of this process of gathering is having the proper data with which to work. The end of the process is not an end at all, but the beginning of a new process: interpretation. Without the correct data, any interpretation based on that data will be skewed. With the proper data, interpretations made are far more likely to be credible. We may very well revisit steps one, two, or three repeatedly if it becomes clear we need to refocus on a different aspect of our observation. A book is often far different from how the author originally envisioned it as the research brings out certain points more strongly or deems other points as insignificant to the overall story. Intention, attention, and perception make interpretation possible. Leaving out any step in the process short-circuits the process and renders it ineffective. Diligently following the process allows for much latitude while also staying true to the original goal of the observation.

In closing, take your time, focus your attention, and allow for new ways of thinking. You will be surprised at the fruit that will come from planting these living seeds.