I had to…
We’re not even 24hr into the new year and I know your Sunday sermons and every other post on your Instagram feed have been inundated with 2020 puns and metaphors. Well, I guess you can add this blog post to the list.
Vision
This is the lowest hanging of the lesson-title fruit. The mental agility required to make the metaphorical leap between “20/20 vision” and “2020 Vision” is simply the ability to recognize the opportunity to remove the solidus.* Here’s some info I found with a quick Google search of 20/20 vision:
- 20/20 vision is a term used to express normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision). If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance.
- Having 20/20 vision does not necessarily mean you have perfect vision. 20/20 vision only indicates the sharpness or clarity of vision at a distance.
- Some people can see well at a distance but are unable to bring nearer objects into focus. This condition can be caused by hyperopia (farsightedness) or presbyopia (loss of focusing ability).
- Others can see items that are close but cannot see those far away. (nearsightedness)
- A comprehensive eye examination by a doctor of optometry can diagnose what is affecting your ability to see well.
In the spirit of drawing metaphorical comparisons, here are some of my initial observations:
- It is expected, normal even, to have a certain level of clarity to your vision. It’s not enough just to have some abstract, notional goal for your life. Your goal needs to be defined clearly enough to give you a definitive direction to head, and the better your clarity for where you’re heading, the easier it will be to make the big Life decisions.
- It is expected to have a certain level of foresight and preparation in life. People who don’t exhibit these qualities to the appropriate level usually get labeled “lazy” or “irresponsible.”
- 20/20 may be normal, but it doesn’t mean perfect. You may not have the perfect goal, you may not handle every present situation in life perfectly, but you can be confident in the direction you are heading.
- Some people are perpetual planners and have great foresight for the long game, but are unable to be enjoy the moment or focus on the present.
- Some people lack the ability to focus in order to go the distance and live out their goals.
- Others only live in the moment, fail to make preparations for their future, and end up directionless, going nowhere fast.
- There are those in your life you should seek out in order to highlight certain things that may be in your blind spot inhibiting your ability to grow well.
My takeaways: To thrive in life, we must have a certain level of foresight in order to structure our goals and inform our life’s decisions. We must not be so forward-thinking that we fail to enjoy and fully experience the present. Diligent focus is required in order to stay consistent and on course towards our life goals.
*I’m not really smart enough to know this word for “forward slash“, but Google is:)
Hindsight
Vision (goals) should be informed by hindsight. What I’m NOT saying is that you should structure your plans and make your decisions based solely on the fears fostered or reinforced by your past experiences, or on the elations and high tides of life. What I am saying is that you should take all of those things into consideration.
Google says hindsight is the understanding of a situation or event only after it has happened or developed. This is an oft heard refrain by preachers and therapists alike: sometimes we may not always understand what all is going on while we’re going through it, but we grow through it and wind up better for it in the end.
It is important to take time, not only at the end of the year but also regularly throughout, to stop and reflect on our life and how it’s gone and where we might seem to be heading, and discern what we can learn and grow from and whether or not we’re heading towards where we want to be in life.
Glutton for PUN-ishment
If you’ve known me for long you’ll know, and if you haven’t you’ll come to see, just how prepared I am for fatherhood judging by my level and quantity of dad-jokes I’m quick to bless the world with. Consider this post my magnum opus on 2020 puns and metaphors.
Jesus taught in parables, and my mind works great with metaphors and parallels in life. My hope is that this post will help add perspective as you reflect on your own life and make plans to live it to the fullest and elevate to the best version of yourself possible.
Happy New Year!
