That assignment always comes to mind when I see people looking at the same thing in two completely different ways. I've noticed that most people tend to look at a part instead of looking at the whole. They focus on the one thing that they want to see, the easiest thing. That's what I did with my assignment. I'm not a good artist, so a part was easier for me than the whole.
All of us have situations that we only look at a part, the part we want to see. Living with Husband, I've trained myself to look at the whole. He's that kind of person. He typically sees the whole of a situation, event, etc, and acknowledges it, no matter how unpleasant it may be. I guess that's why I find people's perspectives so interesting.
The particular subject that got me thinking of this again is my wonderful Sunshine. It's funny how when people see her and they don't know her well, they think she's such a girly girl. She loves to get her hair done (only by other people, because if Mommy tries to do it, forget it). She loves to have her nails painted. She likes to wear dresses. She plays with dolls. She dances and sings. She loves picking out her own clothes so she matches. She wears a LOT of pink. Those are the things some people want to see. They want to believe that she is a super girly girl because, well, it's cute that way. However, people who KNOW her know this...she's always got her hair down with it in her eyes. She likes wearing jeans and t-shirts just as much as dresses. She is happier to dress up like a fireman, policeman, or construction worker than a princess. She plays with tools and trucks and cars. She loves Thomas the Tank Engine. She wears a lot of pink because she has a lot of hand me downs, and, well, she does look super cute in pink. Her favorite colors are actually blue and orange. Our house is always filled with music, so, even Monster loves to dance and sing. She loves playing soccer. She digs in the dirt. She's just as happy, if not happier, to run around naked than in a cute outfit.
I admit, I used to focus on the the second half of her traits. I am NOT a girly girl (except for nail polish...love having painted nails). But now, I focus on the whole. I have it on good authority that Sunshine is not only getting dolls for Christmas, but a trowel, magnifying glass, work gloves, and a tool box (pink, of course). And right now, I know her favorite gift will definitely be the toolbox. That way, she's just like her big brother.