Many times, I have used the screen analogy with clients, friends, and even myself. It was introduced to me years ago by my (then) therapist. The healing seeds he planted into my heart will never be forgotten. Letters and assignments engraved in my soul, are priceless codes I still draw upon as I walk life. One very memorable conversation we had dealt with filters; Screens if you will. It is a metaphor for the barrier between the giving and receiving of messages; Reminding me to maintain mine as well as understand and empathize with others whose screens may still need a lot of cleaning.
When a screen is clogged with dirt, its kinda hard for the light to get through and what light pushes through is dull. Looking through the screen, we can't quite capture the clear beauty on the other side. Our vision isn't distorted, but the picture we view is distorted as the dirt blocks it, and we perceive that picture as TRUTH. Trouble and misunderstanding occurs when we start seeing or "hearing" through an unclear screen. It can be that we don't receive a message the way it was intended, or that the message we intend to send out gets distorted going through another's filter. It's why we need to be intentional about doing the work to keep our own screen clean.
I realized that this metaphor not only applies in communing with another person, but also it applies to our belief systems we receive and messages we send to ourselves.
This rustic dirty beautiful old screen door represents our hearts. They are dirty, worn, and chipped from the harsh weathering erosion that life serves. They too are beautiful and unique treasures. Take a deeper look past the dirt. Do you see the (wise) cracks? Do you embrace the rusty creakings (idiosyncracies) that you find annoying? Can you now observe them as part of your personal charm? They are all unique intricacies that make you, well….. YOU. As you scrub, chip, and rinse away the grime, take time in your work to enjoy the glory of YOU.
Perhaps I am drawn to old screen doors for this very reason. For the texture, color, chips, cracks, and tears layered in beautiful displays. For when truly "seen" for their uniqueness, are enjoyed by all. Maintaining a clean screen is lifelong. How about we appreciate our splendor as we work to clean up.
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