I remember the first time I heard someone use the phrase “Perception is reality”. The setting was a grad school classroom; the speaker was a professional therapist that was a guest lecturer. Something inside of me rebelled. What about “objective truth”? What about “facts”? If perception is reality, the world just became an utterly subjective place that I’m not sure I want to be in.

The speaker went on to elaborate a bit, making it clear that the point was that the way we experience the world is what we have to work with when it comes to meaning making. Our perception, including our perception of things we may think of as immutable, is the reality we’re working with in our lived experience. I feel like I’ve been chewing on that ever since. One of the ways that idea now informs my view of life is by encouraging me to expand what I perceive – working to make the space from which I view and experience the world as large and generous as I’m able. That’s the idea we’ll be exploring in the Talky Bit this Sunday.

We’ll gather online for livestreamed music and Community Time at 10:45 a.m., and then into the Talky Bit. After having some of the Little’s (and the less-Littles as well) running around our yard during our IRL gathering two weeks ago, the ache in my spirit of not seeing people face to face feels fresh and acute. It also reminds me to be thankful for what we have, and I look forward to being with you online on Sunday.

Peace to you all,

Tim Plett