How I Learned It:

Perception is reality for humans. However, one’s reality does not always align with the truth of what is being observed. Einstein broke this concept down in relative physics when he discovered that an observer in motion sees an object totally different than an observer that is standing still. Now let’s apply this to how we experience life through relationships. We can make judgement calls on situations with people and events that happen based on how we see it, how it makes us feel and how it impacted us in that moment. Is this reality? Absolutely! Now is this truth? Now that’s a bit harder to determine. Two people may observe the same thing but experience different results. Take someone who has ridden multiple roller coasters and enjoys the thrill of going down drops and spinning around versus a rookie, whose riding for the first time. Most likely, the first time rider is going to dread the feeling of the ride and may be tempted to never ride roller coasters again. However, if they keep riding they may overcome the fear of pain that they felt, and redirect that experience into an exhilarating rush of energy that makes them want to ride again and again. All in all, perceptions are based on our filters and our filters are determined by our philosophy. We can see through pink, blue, red, yellow or clear filters but to identify absolute truth, it requires more than just our individual perceptions.