Through the Eye of Another

When I take a picture I choose an angle and I choose what I want to include. When you look at the picture I take, you get the chance to see what I saw. In this way a picture is kind of like a story. We see another’s experience through their lens. This month the National Geographic is hosting a photography competition. People send in striking photographs from around the world and all of the pictures are posted on the Internet for people to admire. I was scrolling through them the other day, enjoying the one-frame stories, when this picture captivated me. I want to share it with you this month.

National Geographic photography contest; photo by Robert Spanring

Really? That’s all, an eye? Look a little closer and you see the intricate complexity of something so familiar. We can see different shades of various colors: dark lashes and a black pupil as well as browns and greens in the iris. If you look even closer you see a reflection; we get to see what this person saw. Through the other’s eye we see a large geographical feature in Australia called Uluru, otherwise known as Ayers Rock. The photographer titled the photograph “Eye of the Traveler” and wrote, “Many people pilgrimage to Uluru, but what is seen there often depends on where you’ve come from.”

For some of us, images help us understand an intellectual concept at a deeper level. This picture reminds me in a beautiful way that previous experience directly affects the way I see, what I think, and what I value. For example, Uluru represents for some people a deep part of their family history. Legends are passed down from generation to generation about this sacred spot. For others Ayers Rock is a spot on the map to visit one day. Perhaps it represents adventure for them. Still others gain employment from the tourist trade. For them Ayer’s Rock represents income.

With different experiences and different ways of seeing life, it is no wonder we disagree with each other! Then, when we disagree it seems very tempting to pull in generalized information, “facts,” in order to prove our point of view. Surely, if others understand the facts we can all agree! In reality, facts rarely solve a problem. The information we choose to focus on depends on our past experience. It is a fact that many find Uluru to be a sacred place for many generations. It is also a fact that Ayer’s Rock provides income for many through tourism! If we know that “where we come from” affects what we see and think we do well to go behind the facts to hear specific experiences. In doing so we get a clearer picture of the other's point of view. Often, this proves much more effective than battling with facts. Hearing each other’s stories sets a stage for working together on a problem rather than struggling to win an argument. As this picture reminds us however, when we take the time to look for what another sees, it points out the complexity of what we had perceived as simple.