In Dillard’s personal narrative,
“Seeing”, he lionizes that and of itself, the ability to see. Dillard says this
metaphorically of course, and metaphorically he seems to imply that we should
all try and see the superficial surface of the world. Take life for what it is.
Attempt to see a perspective that is profound too I guess and try and just see
what is just…there. By “there” I mean, not everything needs to be philosophical
and deep, try and notice when is though, but don’t try so hard that you miss
the things that are staring you right in the face.
There
was one quote in particular that I liked that Dillard had said, which is on
page 15where it runs, “But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity,
so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is
in fact planted in pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of
days. It is that simple.” What I took from this is that, if you teach yourself
to enjoy the simpler things that life has to offer and not compile your life to
revolve around having what is unnecessary, like, Gucci shoes, and videogames,
cars, you know, the cliché materialistic things. If we can escape this and
actually see what is there in front of us, and appreciate it, then what is
there to not make us happy?
It
is probably easier said than done. To try and see something that you aren’t
familiar with trying to see is
difficult. Dillard even says himself, “I just can’t see the artificial obvious
that those in the know construct,” which I interpret to mean that, those who
don’t know how to look at something small in a way that it makes their day,
just don’t know how and can’t make it happen. However, “if you can cultivate a
healthy poverty—” learn to live without stuff— “and simplicity,” then I think
you’ll be one step closer, at the very least anyways. Am I certain? No. Not
really…not at all actually. It might just fly over your head, and that’s okay.
Seeing is not meant for everyone I suppose.
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