Dear Reader:

Have you ever thought about the difference between looking and seeing? Perhaps we all should because it dictates whether we live our lives superficially or take time to connect sights with deep-seeded meaning and understanding in and of our lives.

Seeing requires perception on the part of the person who is physically directing their eyes towards a sight… just looking ” surfacely” but not at a deeper level meaningfully…. not seeing connections made to link past experiences or create novel fresh ideas.

A fun example… Do you remember the scene when the Griswolds go on ” Vacation” … they arrive at the Grand Canyon … only to run over, barely glance at the ” big hole” , ) and start back towards the car when Ellen rebukes Clark for not even looking at it. Clark sighs , bops up and down two times… yells ” Done” ( he had looked, not seen, but looked at the Grand Canyon- check ! )

One of the greatest natural sights in the world and Clark just wanted to check if off on his vacation sights list. A ” sight” but no ” seeing.” He left behind a spectacle that has changed people’s lives in its magnificence and beauty! People who ” saw” the ” Big Canyon” and never forgot the experience!

Or ( if you happen to be a baby boomer) remember the Dick and Jane primary reading series?) ” Look” was the most frequented word in the series.

Obviously no difference was taught first graders about the words ” Look” and ” See”… we all grew up thinking they were synonyms!

So until tomorrow…

Today is my favorite day- Winnie the Pooh