The Filtering We Do

One of the properties
Of being human
Is that we see
Or hear things
Only through the filter
Of our mind.

Maybe there are advantages
To being able to tune out
Certain sights and sounds,
And to tune in others,
But we need to be careful
Of the filtering being done.

Our minds have
A mischievous ability
To limit and simplify
The sensory input
On which they
Choose to act.

If we are traveling
On any familiar path
Our minds tend to
Go to sleep
Oblivious to anything
We see or hear.

As soon as we
Venture of out normal path,
Especially when we travel to foreign land,
We go into heightened alert,
Noticing every little thing
Simply because it is different.

Familiarity breeds contempt!

If we think that we
Have heard something before
Or know what is going to be said,
Then those spoken words
Will be wasted
On our inattentive ears.

How many relationships
Have been ruined
Because in our knowing the person
And what they generally say,
We discontinued listening
To their efforts to communicate?

If we presume that they,
Whoever they may be,
Have nothing important to say,
Then we render
Every word they speak
As so much mindless chatter.

If we listen through
Some inner prejudice,
No matter how misguided
Our belief,
We will find ample evidence
To support our claim.

If we believe that evil lurks,
That the world is out to get us,
That fate is harsh or cruel,
Then we will not be disappointed
In the world we find
For that is the filter we hold.

We can use that
To our benefit though.
If we choose
To listen for the gold
In all that is said,
Then we will be amply rewarded.

If we look for the greatness in others
Then guess what we will find,
Greatness beyond belief
Heroes at every corner
People larger than life
Masquerading as ordinary human beings.

Our minds are lazy beasts,
Constantly trying to sleep,
Looking for an easy way out,
Trying not to think,
Forcing us to be vigilant
In order to be present to life.

Perhaps the greatest revelation
Of this or any age
Is that we can adjust our filter
And dramatically affect
The world we see
And the reality we find.