Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Perceiving Contrast Brings Pleasure

I learn today how sensitive the human eye is to contrast.   In fact, perceiving contrast brings pleasure.  We actually enjoy it.   This explains why I can't take my eyes off of my hostas.  The contrast of white on green keeps me planted. 



Or my weeping cherry that now has cherries.  That deep cherry red on green (with the sun shining upon it) brings out some joy in me. 


Or, of course, the strawberry patch.  Red and green again!  I actually feasted on this berry right after I snapped the photo.  Sweet and juicy. 



I think about what catches my eye and delights my senses.  It's always contrast--juxtaposition. 

I'm so thankful for contrast--light and dark, hope and despair, joy and sorrow, suffering and relief.  Beauty and worship come in the crossfire between these opposing states.  There's a sweet spot in the contrast that catches my breath and lets me see inside a spiritual reality.  I'm not afraid of the darkness or the despair anymore.  It's contrast that shows me truth, beauty, and wonder. 

My own vision depends upon contrast, so why wouldn't my spiritual eyes? 

___________________
Journal:  What contrast do I see today? 

1 comment:

Barbara Thayer said...

Beautiful pictures Heather but also beautiful thoughts so well put. My husband is an eye doctor so he deals with sight all day long. How marvelous and complex is the human eye. If only we could see with our spiritual eyes as we could see with our natural eye. You are correct when you say we have so many contrasts in life. We cannot really understand joy until we have experienced sorrow. So many contrasts but God is so good to give us just what we need in life so we can see the differences and shading in life. Thank you for this thought today.