Seeing in ultra violet
Humans, unless we have an eye condition called aphasia. can see red, green and blue - certain wavelengths. Many animals including bees, some birds, butterflies and some fish can see ultra violet wavelengths which permit them to see more colors and have survival skills which most of us humans do not possess.
While I was listening to Terry Gross, host of the podcast, Fresh Air, talk with science writer Ed Yong about the sensory world of animals this morning I was thinking: In these divisive times, seeing in ultraviolet wavelength becomes a metaphor for how we humans need to view each other and the world. We need to know what we see on the surface - the rhetoric and the public behavior - does not define anyone. Most of us know this about ourselves and we can certainly intuit this about all other people. Yet, we seem to have fallen into the trap of labeling others based on a particular behavior, opinion or view about one subject, skin color, political or religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical ability or some other construct.
I am guilty of this despite my daily intention to avoid the temptation of doing so. Just this morning, shortly after sharing my spiritual intention for today, I “heard” a voice in my head making a negative judgment about a politician based one some of their past actions. Yet my training in clinical psychology and the increasing knowledge of the science of how humans form and execute thoughts tells me that the slice of this man which was revealed to the public is not the man. I do know that he is also a survivor of what was probably an emotionally limited and abusive father who himself was probably a similar survivor. I know that this man seems to have a desperate need to be admired and respected; so much so that he presents an image of one who cares nothing for other people or their feelings. I know he needs to be financially successful no matter what the cost to others. For him financial success seems to be the moral equivalent of a winner. One can guess he is also a very lonely man who is fearful of trusting others.
Daily, I am in contact with those who have committed crimes against people and their property in order to feed the obsessively nagging voice of addiction which refuses to take leave of their brain. They are often labeled and incarcerated as criminals and sent to treatment. Daily, I am in contact with those whose brains conjure up a voice telling them to destroy themselves, someone else or property of another. Often, they are labeled as evil or criminals and not as those who have been forced to live with an alternate reality/voice(s) in their head.
Daily i am forced to accept “the many faces of Eve” who live as voices in my own head. I will, for example, resolve to not judge others only to hear a voice in my head judging and labeling another person based on appearances, deed, or some other social construct. Fortunately, I often catch myself before allowing that voice to take wings. What happened to my resolve to mimic those with ultra violent light waves ability to see what is not visible?
As I write this, I am reminded that we humans could benefit from letting go of our assumed and professed superiority to other animals and even plants which have a very sophisticated communication system. What might ensue if we were willing to live in harmony with the rest of nature or at least make a concerted effort to do so?
This weekend is, in some locations and cities in the United States, what has come to be known as Pride weekend; a time for people who have the courage to be themselves; to be the gender they are internally, to love the gender to whom they are attracted, to sometimes dress flamboyantly in outrageously fun costumes; to put on display their most creative display of who they are on the inside; to force others to see with ultra violent vision. What if, no matter our gender binary status, sexual orientation or identification we take our cue from those in the gay parades and allow our ultra violent wavelength to be publicly present? What if we celebrate the ultra violet wavelength of all others?
Written June 26, 2022
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
Humans, unless we have an eye condition called aphasia. can see red, green and blue - certain wavelengths. Many animals including bees, some birds, butterflies and some fish can see ultra violet wavelengths which permit them to see more colors and have survival skills which most of us humans do not possess.
While I was listening to Terry Gross, host of the podcast, Fresh Air, talk with science writer Ed Yong about the sensory world of animals this morning I was thinking: In these divisive times, seeing in ultraviolet wavelength becomes a metaphor for how we humans need to view each other and the world. We need to know what we see on the surface - the rhetoric and the public behavior - does not define anyone. Most of us know this about ourselves and we can certainly intuit this about all other people. Yet, we seem to have fallen into the trap of labeling others based on a particular behavior, opinion or view about one subject, skin color, political or religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical ability or some other construct.
I am guilty of this despite my daily intention to avoid the temptation of doing so. Just this morning, shortly after sharing my spiritual intention for today, I “heard” a voice in my head making a negative judgment about a politician based one some of their past actions. Yet my training in clinical psychology and the increasing knowledge of the science of how humans form and execute thoughts tells me that the slice of this man which was revealed to the public is not the man. I do know that he is also a survivor of what was probably an emotionally limited and abusive father who himself was probably a similar survivor. I know that this man seems to have a desperate need to be admired and respected; so much so that he presents an image of one who cares nothing for other people or their feelings. I know he needs to be financially successful no matter what the cost to others. For him financial success seems to be the moral equivalent of a winner. One can guess he is also a very lonely man who is fearful of trusting others.
Daily, I am in contact with those who have committed crimes against people and their property in order to feed the obsessively nagging voice of addiction which refuses to take leave of their brain. They are often labeled and incarcerated as criminals and sent to treatment. Daily, I am in contact with those whose brains conjure up a voice telling them to destroy themselves, someone else or property of another. Often, they are labeled as evil or criminals and not as those who have been forced to live with an alternate reality/voice(s) in their head.
Daily i am forced to accept “the many faces of Eve” who live as voices in my own head. I will, for example, resolve to not judge others only to hear a voice in my head judging and labeling another person based on appearances, deed, or some other social construct. Fortunately, I often catch myself before allowing that voice to take wings. What happened to my resolve to mimic those with ultra violent light waves ability to see what is not visible?
As I write this, I am reminded that we humans could benefit from letting go of our assumed and professed superiority to other animals and even plants which have a very sophisticated communication system. What might ensue if we were willing to live in harmony with the rest of nature or at least make a concerted effort to do so?
This weekend is, in some locations and cities in the United States, what has come to be known as Pride weekend; a time for people who have the courage to be themselves; to be the gender they are internally, to love the gender to whom they are attracted, to sometimes dress flamboyantly in outrageously fun costumes; to put on display their most creative display of who they are on the inside; to force others to see with ultra violent vision. What if, no matter our gender binary status, sexual orientation or identification we take our cue from those in the gay parades and allow our ultra violent wavelength to be publicly present? What if we celebrate the ultra violet wavelength of all others?
Written June 26, 2022
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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