This was originally published in 2018 but I think it’s still relevant today. I’m taking a little break from writing. I hope you enjoy.

“It’s raining!  Everything is wet and miserable.  I can’t enjoy a day that is so dull!”

“It’s raining!  Everything is wet and wonderful.  I can’t help enjoying a day that is so vibrant!”

Ask any police officer at the scene of any crime. Each witness will have a different version. And to each one of them it is the absolute truth. Why? That’s easy:  perception.

There are over 7 billion people on this planet and trust me, that means 7 billion opinions.  But in all honesty the only opinion that actually matters is mine. Or, yours for you. Are you confused yet?

As I’m writing this, the day is slightly overcast and actually quite dull.   I love days like this. The pace is a little slower, I don’t have to worry about the sun being too hot or getting a sunburn.   Those are bonus days for me! I even like a decent rain. To watch the water droplets caress the windows as they slowly meander downwards. It’s like diamonds on a crown. You just can’t cash them in!

How we perceive what is right in front of us is predicated on several things.  Our vision of course is paramount but also the shades we wear over our eyes and I’m not talking about the ones you buy.  They say that people see what they want to see or that they wear rose-coloured glasses.  All this means is that we interpret what we see differently. Someone who has lived far too long in drought conditions will love the sound and sight of a gentle rain. Someone who comes from a rainy country will not.

All our experiences will have an impact on how we perceive things.  I hate some shades of pink so anything that has that shade on it is automatically going to go into my ‘not liking’ category. It may not be logical or even fair but that’s part of my makeup. We all have our idiosyncrasies, our likes and dislikes. And all of those play into how we understand things. I can honestly say it’s a bias that we all have.

People usually judge other people in the first few seconds of meeting them. It‘s almost unconsciously done. But the trick is being able to modify that opinion once more data is forthcoming. If I see someone shouting angrily at another I’m going to immediately form the opinion that they’re not a nice person.  I know nothing of the circumstances or the people involved. It may not be anger, it may be frustration.  The point is, I don’t know.  I formed an opinion without all the facts.  Something that is happening much too often these days.  Hopefully I will get the rest of the data and will then be able to amend my opinion.

It is a wise person who can admit when they are wrong.