Sight into Insight
From the concepts explained in Annie Dillard work Sight into Insight, the central theme can be underlined as that we see things based on our perception and feeling. This perception is based on previous interactions that we have come across in the past. To explain this, Annie used a case of a blind person who was in this state from birth. Thus, the person cannot see and only use hands for describing things. When given two items to describe, then, the person does it according to the sense of touch. After the operation, this person is shocked to see the things that he described by touching. He is therefore unable to differentiate or describes the items. In connection to main themes of this work, this essay focuses on author’s own experiences through life up to this point. It is important to indicate different stages of learning to perceive and understand things throughout the lifetime. I have learnt the art of reading and writing from my instructors from elementary school through secondary school. As a learner, I always perceived reading as the most important part of advancement in understanding surrounding environment. However, I realized that learning is a component of many things such as listening and following instructions. As a thinker, I belong to the category of people who uses critical skills to evaluate a situation. Thus, I analyze a situation according the factors that affect it or that are at the outset of it. These skills, I consider, have been achieved through some period because at my primary education even though more life experience needed to be able to critically evaluate situations outside of those included in the educational program. This would mean that the instructor played a big role to my study, especially in growing skills of analyzing an events or situation that come on my way in life.
As a writer, I have achieved and attained skills in making academic publications. This means that I am able to work and provide information in the right manner and use the right formatting for academic papers, properly structure writing so that to convey my ideas in a clear and cogent way. At this point, I can comfortably say that I possess an ability of making effective speech or writing on the variety of topics.
The process of constant learning required much dedication and hard work. First, I had a perception of being a successful person as going through the education system and getting a good grade. In my view, this would allow a person to secure an opportunity in a good organization earning money that would enable him or her to sustain decent living. It is generally perceived that living a decent live implies being able to meet all expenses for the family as well as changing the life of community members. Thus, a person will not be complete without a family and taking care of the people surrounding him or her. This is what I came to understand by completing education system that was destined at teaching the right way of life as acquainting with knowledge.
Continual personal development incorporates setting goals in life such as education success and skills acquisition. I have passed through some low and high moments in life especially in regard to educational achievements. One incidence involved getting very low marks in grade two in primary level. My instructor got notice of the change in behaviors and performance in class. This prompted her to enquire what was disturbing my mind and she was determined at guiding me through the problem. At this age, I had associated with a group of students who influenced the way I conducted myself to relationship as well as school work. The performance of the members of this group was always poor and this made them unique in the sense that they held similar behavior and would score same marks. Thus, they were on the list of those people that needed improvement and counseling to ensure that they amend their behavior.
The lowering performance in academic work and extracurricular activities were clear indication that all was not well. The declining trend attracted the attention of the instructor who closely monitored my progress and called me for a meeting to discuss the issues. My parents were also invited so that the problem could be known so as well as finding a formidable solution reached at so that I could have better concentration on academic work. Such discussions and motivation from teachers as well as parents played a huge role in changing my perception of the ways on how the learning process should be organized. I was advised to ensure that I stay at a distance from the bad company and to ensure that I surround myself with the right group. This would affect my attitude towards education and learning process in general. After some time, my performance improved and this gave me morale to continue to work hard so as to become a better person in life.
My achievement in education is valuable in the sense that I will be in a position to access jobs as well as being competitive in this sector. Having stable employment status or being a competitive individual in the community is one of the most important aspects of career. This is because a person is able to work with people in harmony while maintaining high standard services. This ensures that an individual competitiveness remains high and it goes hand in hand with salary increment. In addition, capability of assuming higher offices depends on the skills acquired as well as competitive edge a person demonstrates to the employers (Dillard, 2010). Therefore, I believe that education shapes a person life both from psychological and social perspective. An educated person will be able to relate well with peers and workers because they will draw the limit to which the relationship should be established.
This also influenced my interaction with my classmates, colleagues and friend, as well as parents and professors. One of the values that I have learnt so far is the significance of respect towards others on a daily basis. Respect can be manifested in smallest things one do and in person’s daily conduct, when a person respects others and ensures that he or she treats them with dignity, then he or she is more likely to live in harmony and ability to develop. The reason behind this is that. human beings are looking for a harmonious environment to work and coexist together
God does not exist in a physical form that every believer assumes that prosperity and good things come from him. With the absence of physical representation, our insight assumes that God is in control of the good things and prevent misdoings. Therefore, through good actions and prosperity a person is convinced that one lives a life he or she can be proud of. The relationship I developed with the deities was enhanced by my parents taking me to church and teaching me on attitude towards faith. I believe that wider insight in religion and morale of the previous generations is very important for self-motivation and development. Therefore, during primary school years, I attended extra courses in religion with a focus on cultural and religious studies across different dominations.
Based on take out from engagement during the last week, I came to understand a number of things about myself. The study provoked thought such that I reflected back at my life and events that took place at various stages in life. Some of these events have acted as a learning moment in my life as I would face hardship that strengthened my zeal to hold on to the struggle. Inferring from Annie Dillard’s notion that one’s believes when he or she can see and retrieve information about the same from the mind (Dillard, 2010). The memories would allow a person recall something he or she has come across in the past. Therefore, my take out from religious mentors and those who inspired me in the past is a basis on which I maintain my faith in God. At the same time, an instructor is able to guide a person through the process an action that is not only beneficial but also influence an individual’s attitudes towards life. I therefore feel that my parents and people who contributed to my achievements did a lot to build my intellectual and social life. This is the reason behind my success and progress to the level I am in at the current situation. I also abhor these skills towards the future and believe that I am better placed to face the coming days without fear.
In conclusion, I find that the lesson that I attended last week was informative and, in a certain sense, influential. This is primarily because the issues that were dealt with brought about new perspective and perception towards learning and perception, which in their turn determined individual’s attitude towards the variety of aspects as well as predetermined one’s life path. I was also able to reconsider and reinvent my strengths and weaknesses, and how they changed over time. This allowed me to move ahead by focusing on strengthening my weaknesses while optimizing on the stronghold. This is a positive thing towards building a prosperous future for people around and community at large. I also came to reevaluate how the mind is closely connected to the sight or the art of perceiving surrounding environment. This is connected to the argument of sight into insight. As far as the person’s previous perceptions and experienced might differ from those of the surrounding people, this would prescribe differences in life paths. Further, it is evident that these differences in previous experience at some point of the lifetime shape interaction between people.
Reference
Dillard, Annie (2010). The Norton Reader: Sight into Insight. Norton.