Seeing is not believing

What a joy to wander around in New York! Yesterday, I walked through Union Square en route to a coffee date with a friend. Amazing! Absolutely amazing to see the shapes and sizes and colors and genders and varieties of people there are in this city.

I tell myself—perhaps I delude myself with the belief--that I am alert and awake to life, that I notice people and places and things around me. I can get chills from a beautiful rose, backlit by autumn sunlit. I can tear up when I see a great sunrise or sunset. I don’t think I’m special or different in these reactions. Observation is what drives creativity. But I always marvel at some writers’ abilities to capture the visual aspects of a situation or a person.

So there I was, casually draped over the railing that defines the northern edge of Union Square’s southern plaza. It’s a gathering spot for all sorts…skateboarders, war protesters, musicians, jugglers, vendors of art and CDs, panhandlers, stoners. My favorite yesterday was a guy with a sign that said “Free Face Sitting! Try it!” [By the way, I was tempted.]

I’m watching this milling mass of young humanity, and it is mostly 20-somethings. They have energy and enthusiasm and exuberance about everything…even the stoned ones looked excited to be on Union Square on a beautiful autumn day.

So where’s this going? I’m looking and looking and looking at people. Here comes a guy, dark haired, well built, handsome and my first thought was: “He’s a cute one.” My second thought was: Oh…too bad…he’s cross-eyed.” The good news: He wasn’t. It was just my perception: His eyes were set so deeply in his head and were so close together that it created a false impression.

What’s the point? If I were a writer, I might be able to create a story about false perceptions around that moment of realizing the guy wasn’t cross-eyed. I’m not going to write a story. But I will try to remember that what I see is not necessarily the truth. So certainly what I think…and I am a great one for over thinking things…should be suspect.

And we can all be relieved--me especially--that the cute, tall, dark guy continues to be cute, tall, dark and has no special challenges. At least none that I could see.