Blind Spot*

I found out that we have a blind spot, or hole, in our retina.  The brain fills in the missing parts that the retina does not see.  But the brain fills in from its history living in our head.  Different brains see different things, or rather interpret what is missing.  This is why two people don't see the same thing when they look at a common scene.  So the brain alone would not be good for telling us what is reality.  We need some spiritual dimension to our life to fill in what the brain obscures or denies.  For instance, two people look at a beggar on the street.  One sees a dirty person, who is too lazy to work, is into an addiction that destroys his health, weak-willed, and is generally worthless.  The other person sees a child of God, a fellow traveler on this journey called life, who might be in need of some acceptance, attention and compassion.  Do they both see the same person? No.  We get narrowed by our prejudices, our fears, insecurities and damaged egos, as well as a starved spiritual practice.  Religion at its best can heal our vision.  At its worse, it feeds our narrowness.  So I try for a spiritual practice each day to fill in the hole in my retina, as well as the hole in my heart.