Same Game, Different Frame
Two men played chess a few evenings near the main path before dinner. It was entertaining to pass by and see them deep in strategic concentration.
One night, two photos were taken about twenty minutes apart from different angles.
In the first, the light, sky, and ocean make it feel expansive. So much to look at. In the second, the lighting draws the focus only to the game and its players. It feels more intense and private.
Same players. Same game. Same evening.
The game had obviously progressed between the two, but the biggest change is the frame - its angle and that light.
The other photographer after comparing our two photos said, “What a great metaphor for perspectives.”
She was right. If you’ve been following for any length of time, you know it made me smile. (And yes, I begged for her photo so I could show it to you)
It’s easy to assume that what we see is the whole story. That our angle captures reality as it is.
What we include shapes what we conclude.
But with a change in the vantage point. Or the light. Or how much of the horizon we’re willing to include. We can gain a broader perspective.
Earlier that week, I’d noticed something similar in a smaller way. A friend and I realized we were reading the same novel and noticing completely different things. Same story. Different lenses. Different experiences shaping what stood out to us.
Around the same time, my friend and physician-coach colleague, Dr. Jessie Mahoney's, TEDx talk released. It’s built around one simple question: What would love do?
It’s a question that widens the frame.
In medicine, leadership, relationships, and even public discourse.
Psychological flexibility reminds us to consider that our view may be partial.
The game is still unfolding but we can begin seeing it differently.
Think about it - what becomes visible when we allow our own aperture to widen and practice a little psychological flexibility?
I’m grateful for the people who help me see more of the board. More of the sky. More of the story.
Reflection:
How might asking “What would love do?” shine a light on your situation?
Who in your life helps you see more clearly?
Responses