TEA TIME WITH TINA: Following Gestalt’s Theory

TINA CHEN
Opinions Editor

Sometimes, as I walk through a convenience store, I forget to say thank you to the clerk. Sometimes, when my uncle calls me, I find excuses not to talk to him. Oftentimes, I become so immersed in my own thoughts and playing catch up that I forget to stop and notice all the blessings that are right in front of me.

As I try to find my way—be it for school, work or my personal life—I tend to lose my sense of direction, because I forget what I’m chasing after. Happiness? Success? Recognition? There have been multiple occasions where I freak out (yes, full on psychomaniac status) about what I had perceived as to be the most “important,” as if the whole world revolves around it. Looking back, it should have been the most miniscule of my worries. What seemed so clear and crucial is now only a vague memory, a memory in which I cannot recall why I have placed so much emphasis on.

I am guilty of overlooking the small things in life, always reading between the lines but missing the line themselves. I cite my excuse of being a first-semester-senior for thinking that I have it worse than everyone else, when there are those around me with similar problems. Just as I am in the process of learning how to slow down, I am often surprised by how much I’ve been missing by focusing on details instead of looking at things holistically.

It is time to stop being side-tracked and continue toward the road to realization, because looking beyond may include paying the price of missing the miracles that are right in front of you. Remember: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, so step back, relax and breathe!