Mistaking Something for Something Else

Oftentimes, in our limited perception, we mistake one thing for something else.  An example is seeing a coiled rope lying on the ground at a campsite at sundown and thinking it is a snake.  We could easily become frightened by such an illusion and run for cover. 

Our daily fears and anxieties are often triggered by similar misperceptions of what is. We simply see what we "believe" to exist. 


Is it cactus or the back of a porcupine?

How often do we see things in this manner?  How often do we label something only to find out later that our perception is completely erroneous?  How often do we cling to our certainties only to end up suffering the consequences from such limited perception?

I have to remind myself often that my thoughts and perceptions might be causing me problems and when I admit that, then I can begin to loosen my grip on what I think is right.  Like Mark Twain said, “I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.”