We see, but do we notice?

My late father-in-law, Dr. Irwin Siegel, was an accomplished physician and surgeon who also helped train young doctors. He once told me about an exercise he regularly used with the doctors he mentored.

The young doctors examined a “standardized patient” -- someone trained to present particular symptoms and concerns -- then reported their observations and possible diagnosis to Dr. Siegel. But before they could begin, he would ask one question:

“What color were the patient's eyes?”

Almost invariably, the young doctors couldn't answer. And they wondered why something as seemingly insignificant as eye color mattered at all. Why did Dr. Siegel think it did?

✨3 Ideas

1. Awareness wakens wonder

Stand at the rim of the Grand Canyon, and its vastness practically demands your attention. But much of life’s beauty makes no such demand -- stars filling the night sky, fireflies flashing on a summer evening, or the stillness of freshly fallen snow.

Awareness allows us to discover what was there all along.

The world doesn’t become more beautiful or wondrous because we’re paying attention; but when we do, we become more capable of receiving its beauty.

2. Attentiveness opens the heart

Seeing another person means noticing more than what they say or do. Their expression, a change in tone, or an unexpected silence can be revealing.

Attentiveness can reveal what another person may never put into words.

Kindness and compassion take on a deeper spiritual dimension when we’re proactive -- remembering a friend’s birthday or noticing someone left out of a conversation. Our inner essence delights when we notice, rather than need to be reminded.

3. Self-awareness opens a window

Careful observation also includes turning our attention inward. It can reveal not only habits that need changing, but strengths and talents we may have overlooked.

Our weaknesses tell us where we need to grow. Our strengths tell us where we are meant to give.

Classic wisdom teaches that someone unaware of their faults doesn’t know what needs correcting -- but someone unaware of their strengths faces an even greater loss. Seeing ourselves more clearly brings more of what is uniquely ours into the world.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

📜2 Quotes

“The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.”
— Proverbs 20:5

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made, What’s a sun-dial in the shade?”
— Benjamin Franklin

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

❓1 Question

What is something you’ve recently noticed about the world, other people, or yourself that you hadn’t previously paid attention to?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So why did Dr. Siegel ask the young doctors about the color of the patient’s eyes?

He explained that they weren’t merely examining bodies -- they were interacting with human beings. If they hadn’t looked closely enough at the patient to notice something as basic as their eye color, perhaps they hadn’t fully seen the person in front of them.

Dr. Siegel’s question carried a lesson far beyond the examining room. Much of what can enrich our lives is already before us, waiting to be noticed -- beauty, another person’s needs, and qualities within ourselves that can point us toward what we have to give.

The more carefully we learn to look, the more there is to see.

Until next time,
Wishing you a week of seeing more of what matters,

Rabbi Ze'ev Smason

P.S. What quality or talent would you describe as one of your “superpowers”? I’d love to hear -- please respond by ‘reply.’

P.P.S. My daughter-in-law recently sat me down for a conversation/interview that took some unexpected -- and amusing turns. I’ll share the video with you in next week’s Spiritual Sparks. Stay tuned!