PROMIXITY

THOSE WHO HAVE KNOWN ME THE LONGEST OFTEN SEE ONLY FRAGMENTS OF WHO I AM. EACH PERSON HOLDS A DIFFERENT VERSION, AND WHILE THERE IS OVERLAP, NONE CONSOLIDATES THESE INTO A COMPLETE PICTURE. I DON’T BLAME THEM—TO BE TOO CLOSE TO SOMETHING IS TO SEE ONLY THE DETAILS, NEVER THE WHOLE.

IT’S LIKE SITTING OUTSIDE AND WATCHING A PLANT GROW. THE GROWTH IS HAPPENING, BUT IN THE MOMENT, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. IT IS ONLY WHEN YOU STEP AWAY AND RETURN THAT THE CHANGES BECOME VISIBLE. THIS IS THE CHALLENGE OF PERCEPTUAL PROXIMITY: WHEN GROWTH IS INTERNAL, SUBTLE, OR HIDDEN FROM VIEW, HOW CAN IT BE TRULY SEEN?

THIS IDEA BRINGS TO MIND THE STORY OF JESUS AND HIS HOMETOWN. HE COULD NOT PERFORM MIRACLES THERE, NOT BECAUSE OF A LACK OF POWER BUT PERHAPS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE COULD NOT SEE BEYOND THE NARRATIVE OF “THE CARPENTER’S SON.” THEIR FAMILIARITY CREATED A BLINDNESS TO HIS TRUE NATURE.

PERHAPS THIS IS ALSO TRUE FOR MYSELF. JUST AS OTHERS STRUGGLE TO SEE ME FULLY, I MAY NOT SEE MYSELF EITHER. PERHAPS I AM TOO CLOSE TO MY OWN GROWTH, TOO ENTANGLED IN THE DAILY DETAILS OF CHANGE TO RECOGNISE THE LARGER PICTURE. THIS POSSIBILITY IS EQUALLY HUMBLING AND ILLUMINATING, FOR IT SUGGESTS THAT UNDERSTANDING—OF OTHERS AND OF OURSELVES—REQUIRES BOTH TIME AND DISTANCE.