The Art of Seeing Well

The Art of Seeing Well

In a quiet village nestled between rolling hills and winding rivers, there lived a wise old man named Bhaskar. Known for his calm demeanour and radiant spirit, Bhaskar was someone to whom people often turned for advice and comfort. His secret to a happy life, he claimed, was simple: "Make a habit of seeing well."

One day, a young man named Arun approached Bhaskar, feeling lost. "I have everything I need," Arun said, "but I don't feel content. Life seems full of problems, and I find myself complaining about the smallest things. How do you stay so positive, Bhaskar?"

The old man smiled kindly. "Let me tell you a story," he began. "Many years ago, I was much like you. I would often find myself upset, focusing on the flaws in everything—the weather was too hot, the roads were too dusty, the food was too bland. I believed I had to fix all these things to find happiness. One day, I met a traveller who changed my life with a single piece of advice. He said to me, 'Bhaskar, make a habit of seeing well. It will change how you experience the world.'"

Arun looked puzzled. "Seeing well? But what does that mean?"

"Seeing well," Bhaskar explained, "is not just about using your eyes. It’s about seeing beyond what appears on the surface. It means noticing the beauty in the mundane, the joy in small things, and the good in people, even when it's hard to find. It’s a choice, a habit, that transforms the way you look at life."

Curious, Arun asked, "How do you make it a habit?"

Bhaskar smiled again. "It takes practice, like any other skill. Every day, I would remind myself to focus on what was good around me. When the weather was too hot, I would appreciate the shade of a tree. When the food was bland, I would savour the simplicity of it. Slowly, I began to see life in a new light. The world had not changed, but I had."

Arun nodded, starting to understand. "So, it's about changing your perspective?"

"Exactly," Bhaskar said. "Our minds naturally gravitate toward problems, but seeing well requires us to consciously shift our focus. It’s not about ignoring the difficulties, but about recognising that there’s always more to the story. For every cloud, there’s a silver lining, if only we take the time to see it."

The next day, as Arun went about his routine, he began to notice things he hadn’t before. The chirping of birds in the early morning, the laughter of children playing in the distance, the warmth of the sun on his skin. He still encountered challenges, of course—his work was demanding, and there were frustrations at home—but something was different. For every difficulty, he made an effort to find something good, something he could appreciate.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Over time, Arun's outlook on life transformed. The habit of seeing well became second nature to him, and he began to understand the profound wisdom in Bhaskar’s simple advice. Problems still existed, but they no longer consumed him. Instead, they were balanced by the beauty he chose to notice each day.

Arun realised that by seeing well, he wasn’t just changing his perspective—he was changing his life. Where once there had been complaints, there was now gratitude. Where there had been frustration, there was now patience. He felt a deep sense of contentment, even in the face of difficulties, because he had learned to see the world for what it truly was: a blend of light and shadow, with endless beauty waiting to be discovered.

Years later, when Arun became an elder in the village, he found himself offering the same advice to others: "Make a habit of seeing well." He would smile, just as Bhaskar had, knowing that those few words carried the power to change a life.

And so, the wisdom of seeing well was passed from one generation to the next, as the villagers learned that happiness wasn’t found in perfect circumstances, but in the way they chose to view the world.

The Habit of Seeing Well
Seeing well is not just about looking; it is about noticing the good, the beautiful, and the meaningful in every moment. It’s about training the mind to find positivity in the midst of chaos, and peace in the heart of trouble. We all have the power to make this choice each day, to look beyond the surface and appreciate the richness of life that lies beneath. With practice, seeing well becomes a habit that enriches our souls and fills our days with gratitude and joy.