One of my favorite quotes: this is what someone said to a good friend of mine after having a staring contest with them: "I feel like we just exchanged parts of our souls!"
I've never been able to hold eye contact with someone for any amount of time. It's always felt too vulnerable and real and honest. For the first time in my life I've learned to look someone in the eyes, and stay that way, and not feel the urge to look away or laugh or make funny faces to break the tension. And I think I know why. It's not just because you're letting someone look at you, and it's not because you're looking at someone else. It's because when you're vulnerably looking into someones eyes, you're looking at yourself. You're faced with the complete and holding reality of who you are; all the awkward, shameful, and uncool truth of ourselves comes out when we're forced to drop the facade. So when we're uncomfortable looking in someones eyes it's because we're uncomfortable looking at ourselves. I must be getting more comfortable looking at myself.
The picture is entitled "staring contest! - Day 164" and is by leila-anne on flickr.
3/5/11
I've never been able to hold eye contact with someone for any amount of time. It's always felt too vulnerable and real and honest. For the first time in my life I've learned to look someone in the eyes, and stay that way, and not feel the urge to look away or laugh or make funny faces to break the tension. And I think I know why. It's not just because you're letting someone look at you, and it's not because you're looking at someone else. It's because when you're vulnerably looking into someones eyes, you're looking at yourself. You're faced with the complete and holding reality of who you are; all the awkward, shameful, and uncool truth of ourselves comes out when we're forced to drop the facade. So when we're uncomfortable looking in someones eyes it's because we're uncomfortable looking at ourselves. I must be getting more comfortable looking at myself.
The picture is entitled "staring contest! - Day 164" and is by leila-anne on flickr.
3/5/11
Marie once said "I believe the eyes are the windows to one's soul." I think about this almost every time I look into someone's eyes... truly look. As if seeking after who they are.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. Some days you make posts that don't quite look us quite in the eyes. Perhaps many days. But somedays, you are looking directly at us. And yes, we can see right in. However, when it comes down to it, the "awkward, shameful, and uncool truth of ourselves" is beautiful if we have the right eyes to see it.
ReplyDelete